Firefighters battling wildfire in eastern part of DMZ: JCS
A helicopter extinguishes a forest fire in Jeongeup, North Jeolla Province, March 25. Courtesy of Jeongeup Fire Station
Firefighting authorities deployed helicopters Friday to extinguish a wildfire that broke out in the eastern part of the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) separating the two Koreas earlier this week, Korea's military said.
Two forestry service helicopters were mobilized at around 6:30 a.m. to fight the blaze that began at about 4:30 p.m. Thursday in the DMZ area in the border county of Goseong, 159 kilometers northeast of Seoul, according to the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS).
Authorities have yet to determine the cause of the wildfire.
The JCS said it aired broadcasts in advance to inform North Korea of the helicopters' entry into the tensely guarded border area, noting there hasn't been any particular response from the North yet.
No damage has so far been reported regarding Korean personnel or facilities and firefighting efforts are proceeding smoothly of the Military Demarcation Line (MDL) that divides the DMZ, it said.
"Our military is maintaining readiness while closely monitoring North Korean activities," it said.
The DMZ, which is about 250 km long and 4 km wide, serves as a buffer between the two Koreas, which remain in a truce without a peace treaty from the 1950-53 Korean War.
The blaze took place just days after around 10 North Korean troops briefly crossed the MDL within the heavily fortified border in the Goseong area on Tuesday, prompting Korea's military to fire warning shots.