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South Korea’s Ministry of Defense has confirmed that roughly 30 North Korean soldiers crossed the border into South Korea early on Tuesday before retreating after South Korean military personnel fired warning shots.

The incursion occurred at 8:30 AM on Monday in the central sector of the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). Yonhap news agency, citing the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), reported that the North Korean soldiers crossed the military demarcation line but quickly retreated to their side after the warning shots were fired. The JCS indicated that they did not believe the crossing was intentional.

In a separate update, the South Korean military noted that several North Korean soldiers had recently been injured or killed by landmine explosions in the DMZ, although they did not specify the timing of these incidents. The DMZ, one of the most fortified and mined borders globally, has seen increased activity and fortification efforts from both sides.

“Many casualties are occurring due to several landmine explosions in the frontline area,” the JCS stated. North Korea has been enhancing its border defenses by removing streetlights, installing antitank barriers, and laying additional mines to create barren land for better security, according to the JCS.

This incident comes as Russian President Vladimir Putin was set to arrive in North Korea.