South Korea's military announced that warning shots were fired after North Korean soldiers briefly breached the boundary at the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) dividing the two nations.

The breach occurred around 12:30pm (03:30 GMT) on Sunday when several North Korean soldiers crossed the Military Demarcation Line within the DMZ, according to a report from Yonhap news agency citing a statement by the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS).

The JCS reported that South Korean troops issued warnings and fired into the air, prompting the North Korean soldiers to retreat to their side of the heavily fortified border.

This event takes place amid rising tensions between the Koreas after Pyongyang recently sent more than 1,000 garbage-filled balloons across the frontier, leading South Korea to resume propaganda broadcasts that had been halted since 2018.

Kim Yo Jong, the influential sister of leader Kim Jong Un, warned that these broadcasts could trigger a “crisis of confrontation”.

“This is a prelude to a very dangerous situation,” she stated through state media.

Experts believe North Korea is highly sensitive to Seoul's loudspeaker campaigns, fearing they could demoralize front-line troops and citizens, potentially jeopardizing Kim Jong Un's rule.

In 2015, when South Korea resumed these broadcasts after a considerable hiatus, North Korea responded by firing artillery rounds across the border, leading South Korea to retaliate. Fortunately, no injuries were reported.

The JCS observed no unusual movements from the North following Sunday's warnings and shots, and the soldiers returned to their territory.