2 N. Korea soldiers briefly cross MDL to apparently chase defecting soldier: sources

The Demilitarized Zone separating the two Koreas and a now-shuttered joint industrial complex are seen in North Korea's border city of Gaeseong, in this photo taken from the South Korean border city of Paju, northwest of Seoul, Oct. 15. Yonhap

Two North Korean soldiers briefly crossed the heavily fortified inter-Korean border after a North Korean soldier crossed into South Korea to defect earlier this week, military sources said Friday.

The armed soldiers crossed the Military Demarcation Line (MDL) and advanced to a point about 200 meters from a South Korean guard post on Oct. 19, according to the sources.

They are presumed to have been chasing the North Korean soldier who crossed into the South earlier on the same day through the central section of the border.

In response to the two North Korean soldiers, the South Korean military issued warning broadcasts and fired warning shots, prompting them to retreat, the sources said.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said at that time there had been no unusual movements detected from the North Korean military following the defection.

The South's military reportedly identified the North Korean soldiers 850 meters south of the MDL.

"The North Korean soldiers were not spotted when they crossed the MDL, as the guard post in question has limited visibility, being situated in a heavily wooded area with a mountain to the north," the source said.

A JCS official said the military decided not to disclose the border intrusion, judging that it was not clear whether they were chasing the soldier as there was a gap of more than five hours between the two incidents.

Some observers speculate the decision not to reveal the incident may have been aimed at avoiding unnecessary tension with the North.