Korean Peninsula remains in tight situation

Entering August, the month when the ROK and the United States held their annual joint military drill, Ulchi Freedom Guardian (UFG), situations in the long-divided peninsula have been escalating, as incidents and conflicts frequently took place.

On Aug. 4, three landmines detonated on the southern section of the demilitarized zone, wounding two ROK soldiers on patrol duty. Seoul claimed that the mines had been deliberately planted by DPRK forces, but Pyongyang denied any involvement.

On Aug. 10, the ROK military resumed broadcasting its propaganda messages through loudspeakers, having been silence for the past 11 years, in retaliation for the landmine blast, which the DPRK condemned as "a declaration of war."

On Thursday, Seoul claimed that the DPRK fired a round of anti-artillery machine gun and three shells of 76.2-mm direct-fire weapon in the western border toward the ROK territory.

Pyongyang denied the South Korean military's accusation of shelling, and blasted Seoul for "fabricating" such an incident. And the ROK's military fired about dozens of warning shots into the DPRK territory as a counter action.

The KCNA reported on Friday that the DPRK's top leader, Kim Jong Un, had ordered his country's frontline forces to enter a state of war "to be fully battle ready to launch a strong military action unless South Korea stop its psychological warfare campaigns."

And the ROK also threatened stern retaliation against any further provocation. Seoul and Washington raised their joint reconnaissance position toward the DPRK to the second highest Saturday. South Korean forces remained on the highest alert.