Tensions on the Korean Peninsula escalated after around 30 North Korean troops briefly crossed the heavily fortified inter-Korean border earlier this week, prompting South Korean forces to fire more than 10 warning shots. The United Nations Command confirmed the incursion and South Korea's response. North Korea condemned the warning shots as a "serious provocation" and warned of potential retaliation, describing the incident as risking "uncontrollable" tensions. In a related development, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un personally supervised the test-firing of two new air defense missiles. State media reported that these tests aimed to assess the combat capabilities of the missiles, which reportedly feature advanced technology designed to counter drones and cruise missiles. The missile tests occurred amid ongoing joint military exercises between the United States and South Korea, further contributing to heightened regional tensions.
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