Another front between the Superpowers is being activated on the planet: For the third time this month, North Korean troops have crossed the de facto border of South Korea, forcing South Korean forces to open fire with warning shots.
This time there is a telling difference as the Russia-North Korea Defense Pact is in full effect and the Russian Pacific Fleet is simulating a major naval confrontation near South Korea and Japan.
“North Korean soldiers (…) within the demilitarized zone, in the central sector of the front, crossed the military separation line. After warnings and warning shots from our military, the North Korean soldiers withdrew to the north,"South Korea's national defense general staff said, according to which today's incident was recorded at around 11:00 (05:00 GMT).
Relations between North and South Korea have reached their worst point in decades. From a technical point of view, the two states remain at war, as the war between them (1950-1953) was only ended by a simple armistice, a peace treaty was never signed.
This was the third border violation by North Korea this month. Previously, a group of 20 to 30 North Korean soldiers entered other areas of the central part of the border on June 9 and 18, respectively.
The border violations have come as North Korea has deployed large numbers of troops in front-line areas and is conducting a range of activities, including mine-laying and building anti-tank barriers.
It seems that North Korea is preparing and strengthening its first line of defense along the border.
The timing of the back-and-forth security incidents between North and South Korea is notable.
For days now, the Russian Pacific Fleet (after the Mediterranean, Baltic and Northern Fleets) has left the naval base and is conducting large exercises in the Pacific Ocean and near South Korea and Japan.
Video released by Russia's defense ministry shows several ships and a submarine sailing out to sea from the Far Eastern city of Vladivostok (next to North Korea), an operational base of Russia's Pacific Fleet.
According to the Russian Ministry of Defense:
Pacific Fleet forces began deploying at sea as part of the exercise, which will be held from June 18 to 28 in the Pacific Ocean, Sea of Japan and Sea of Okhotsk.
The exercises involve 40 ships and support ships all coastal anti-ship arrays “Bal” and “Bastion, about 20 aircraft and helicopters of the naval aviation, including anti-submarine aircraft Tu-142mz, Il-38 and Il-38N, anti-submarine and SAR helicopters Ka -29 and Ka-27.
South Korean media reports that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the Russian ambassador Georgi Zinoviev for an explanation.
South Korea requests an explanation " on the issue of the signing of the defense agreement between Pyongyang and Moscow".
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