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South Korean military accidentally fires machine gun toward North

Published: 29 May. 2025, 12:14 Updated: 29 May. 2025, 13:04

A view of the demilitarized zone along the western front as seen from the border area in Paju, Gyeonggi, on May 2 [YONHAP]

A South Korean front-line unit near the inter-Korean border accidentally fired a machine gun round toward North Korea on Wednesday, the military confirmed Thursday.

According to the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) and Democratic Party Rep. Choo Mi-ae, a member of the National Assembly’s National Defense Committee, the incident occurred around 5 p.m. at a general outpost in Yangju, Gyeonggi.

During a weapons inspection at the outpost, a single live round from a K-6 heavy machine gun was discharged in the direction of the North. The location of the projectile’s impact has not been confirmed.

“A warning broadcast was issued toward the North immediately after the incident,” a JCS official said. “No unusual movements from the North Korean military have been observed so far.”

The South Korean Army is currently investigating the details of the mishap.

The incident comes just a month after another accidental discharge involving a K-6 machine gun occurred at a guard post in Cheorwon, Gangwon, on April 23. In that case, a soldier conducting a routine weapons check fired a single live round, which penetrated a defensive barrier and traveled toward the North.

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY JEONG JAE-HONG [[email protected]]