By Kang Hyun-kyung
Staff Reporter
A North Korean patrol boat crossed the Northern Limit Line (NLL) into South Korean waters Thursday afternoon and returned to the North after about one hour.
No clash occurred during the standoff, according to the Joint Chiefs of Staff in Seoul.
The intrusion came several days after the North conducted a second nuclear test and test-fired five missiles. Pyongyang is reportedly preparing to test fire a medium-range ballistic missile in the near future.
This is the third intrusion across the maritime border this year, following standoffs in February and March.
The North Korean naval boat traveled about 0.9 miles over the disputed sea border at 2: 47 p.m. and returned to the North at 3:38 p.m. after the South Korean Navy issued two warnings.
The Navy deployed a destroyer and its own patrol boats operating nearby to the area after the intrusion.
Three Chinese boats were fishing near the border just before the intrusion. The patrol boat appeared to be chasing them to check if the boats were from the North.
However, the Navy said it could not rule out the possibility that the vessel intentionally intruded to raise tensions. It said it would continue to monitor all North Korean movements in the area.
South Korea deployed a state-of-the-art patrol boat armed with ship-to-ship guided missiles to the waters, Tuesday, to prepare for any possible provocation after Pyongyang issued specific threats.
The intrusion took place about 12 kilometers off Yeonpyeong Island, near to where two serious naval clashes took place in 1999 and 2002, respectively. Seven South Korean sailors were wounded after the gunfire in the 1999 sea battle that lasted about five minutes. The 2002 exchange of fire was more serious with four South Korean sailors killed and 19 wounded.