Seoul: The military has internally updated guidelines in defining the inter-Korean land border when dealing with incursions by North Korean soldiers to prevent the risk of accidental clashes, officials said Monday. This adjustment is in response to repeated violations by North Korean troops of the Military Demarcation Line (MDL) within the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) since last year, as part of construction activities near the heavily fortified border.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) has instructed troops to prioritize markers indicating the MDL while also applying a comprehensive approach using both the MDL on the South Korean military map and a line connecting MDL markers set by the U.S.-led United Nations Command (UNC). This update allows the military to use a line drawn farther southward in assessing border crossings by North Korean troops.

Under the new guidelines, South Korean military response is not mandatory if North Korean troops cross the line connecting MDL indicators, provided it is assessed as not being the MDL crossing on South Korea's military map. Originally, nearly 1,300 markers were installed in 1953 after the Korean War armistice, but only about one-sixth are identifiable today due to suspended maintenance since 1973 after North Korea fired at workers.

A JCS official noted that front-line units were briefed on the new guidelines in June last year, with inclusion in an operational guideline in September this year. The aim is to ensure a firm military response while preventing accidental clashes between the two Koreas in the event of a border crossing by North Korean soldiers.

"The measure is limited to situations in which North Korean soldiers conduct activities near the MDL in an exposed environment during daytime," a ministry official stated, emphasizing that it does not alter operational procedures favorably for North Korean troops. However, critics fear this might lead to a passive response amidst Seoul's efforts to resume dialogue with Pyongyang.

Regarding discrepancies between MDL coordinates on South Korean maps and UNC data sets, a JCS official explained the differences are due to varying technologies and timings in data updates. The defense ministry plans discussions with the UNC next year to address this, given that 60 percent of the coordinates vary.

Last month, South Korea's defense ministry suggested military talks with Pyongyang to clarify the MDL, marking the first official proposal for talks since President Lee Jae Myung took office in June, aiming to mend ties and create dialogue conditions. North Korea has not yet responded.

Since April last year, North Korea has stationed troops near the MDL to plant mines, build anti-tank barriers, and reinforce barbed wire fences following leader Kim Jong-un's description of inter-Korean relations as "hostile" in late 2023. The JCS reported 26 border violations since last year, with 17 occurring this year. The latest incident was in late November.

Since last year, the South Korean military has issued about 2,400 warning messages and fired warning shots 36 times in line with guidelines, prompting North Korean soldiers to retreat each time.