North Korea accuses South of ‘reckless’ drills along sea border

SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA—North Korea threatened Friday to retaliate against South Korea for “reckless” military drills near their disputed sea boundary, but the South denied any training in the immediate area, the scene of several bloody naval skirmishes in recent years.

The wrangling came five days after South Korea accused the North of initiating an exchange of gunfire along their land border. No casualties were reported, but the incident was a reminder of persistent tensions on the peninsula.

North Korea’s Ministry of People’s Armed Forces accused South Korea of mobilizing fighter jets and warships for drills on their western sea boundary on Wednesday.

“Such reckless move of the military warmongers of the south side is the height of the military confrontation,” it said in a statement carried by North Korean state media. “This is a grave provocation which can never be overlooked and this situation demands a necessary reaction from us.”

North Korea said the South Korean drills violated 2018 agreements that require both countries to halt firing exercises along their land and sea borders to lower front-line tensions.

South Korea’s Defence Ministry said the drills didn’t break the agreements because they took place in its western waters about 300 kilometres from the sea boundary. A ministry official, requesting anonymity because of department rules, said South Korea has been maintaining military readiness without violating the 2018 agreements.