South Korean troops recently fired warning shots at North Korean soldiers crossing the Military Demarcation Line (MDL) on the eastern front, Seoul’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) announced for the first time this year Sunday. 

“Our military is closely monitoring the movements of North Korean troops while maintaining a firm military readiness posture,” the JCS told reporters without specifying the date of the incident.

The North Korean troops reportedly returned north following the warning shots and no unusual activity was detected afterward, according to South Korean news outlets.

Under South Korea’s rules of engagement, troops issue verbal warnings when