South Korean helicopters fight wildfire along heavily armed border with North Korea
South Korea sent two helicopters to battle a wildfire inside the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), Seoul's military said Friday, adding it had warned North Korea in advance of its firefighting mission along the heavily armed border area.
The blaze in the east of the DMZ dividing the Koreas comes just weeks after South Korea suffered record deadly wildfires in the country's southeast that forced communities to evacuate and destroyed thousands of structures, including a centuries-old Buddhist temple.
South Korea's military aired broadcasts to North Korea to warn people there about the helicopters early Friday, Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff said.
'Our military is maintaining readiness while closely monitoring North Korean activities,' the Joint Chiefs added.
It's unclear what caused the fire, which started Thursday afternoon in South Korea's eastern Goseong county, Gangwon province, according to authorities.
The Korea Forest Service said the blaze had been about half extinguished as of Friday morning, while the military said firefighting efforts were 'proceeding smoothly' and there had been no damage to South Korean personnel or facilities.
The DMZ is a no-man's land about 30 miles north of Seoul that was established in the 1953 Korean War Armistice Agreement to provide distance between the two sides and prevent military brush-ups. The 160-mile-long, 2.5-mile-wide DMZ is one of the most heavily militarized borders in the world and both Seoul and Pyongyang maintain large numbers of troops there. It has been the site of high-level discussions on inter-Korea relations and is also a major tourist attraction.
Largely devoid of human activity, the DMZ has inadvertently become one of the most pristine environments in Asia and a haven for wildlife. In 2023, Google released street-view images of the DMZ for the first time, offering a rare glimpse into the flora and fauna that inhabit the peaceful buffer.
Inter-Korea hostilities have ramped up in recent years as North Korea appears to have intensified its nuclear production efforts and strengthened ties with Russia as it wages war in Ukraine. Last year, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un scrapped a longstanding policy of seeking peaceful reunification with South Korea.
Earlier this week, South Korea's military said it had fired warning shots after North Korean soldiers crossed the military demarcation line before retreating.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hamilton Spectator
35 minutes ago
- Hamilton Spectator
CP NewsAlert: Mexico's president says she will attend G7 summit in Alberta
OTTAWA - Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum says she will attend the G7 summit next week in Alberta and is working to set up a bilateral meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump. More coming. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Miami Herald
an hour ago
- Miami Herald
China's Most-Advanced Aircraft Carrier Tests US Ally
The most-advanced but yet-to-be-commissioned Chinese aircraft carrier, CNS Fujian, was reportedly conducting operations in the disputed waters near South Korea, a United States ally. Newsweek has reached out to the South Korean Foreign Ministry for comment by email. The Chinese Defense Ministry did not immediately respond to a written request for comment. China and South Korea established the Provisional Measures Zone (PMZ) in the Yellow Sea under a 2000 agreement, where their 230-mile-wide exclusive economic zones (EEZs) overlap. In late May, China declared "no-sail zones" within the PMZ for military exercises. China has the largest navy in the world by hull count, with over 370 ships and submarines-including two aircraft carriers in active service. Its third carrier, the Fujian, is continuing sea trials as part of its "construction process," the Chinese Defense Ministry previously said. Unlike its predecessors, which use a ski-jump flight deck for aircraft takeoffs, the Fujian is equipped with electromagnetic catapults, enabling it to launch heavier aircraft. A Pentagon report said that the warship is expected to become operational in the first half of 2025. Citing "multiple South Korean government sources," the local newspaper The Chosun Ilbo reported on Friday that the Fujian conducted flight operations with carrier-based aircraft in the PMZ from May 22 to 28, while three Chinese "no-sail zones" in the area were in effect. The report said this was the first time a Chinese aircraft carrier conducted such operations in the PMZ. The South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff confirmed to the newspaper that it had tracked and analyzed the Chinese naval activity, which lasted less than a week. Satellite images shared by @d_viekass, an open-source intelligence analyst on X (formerly Twitter), show that the Fujian was no longer visible at a shipyard in Shanghai-where it was built-as early as May 22. It returned a week later after completing its eighth sea trial. From a military perspective, the PMZ-located outside Chinese and South Korean territorial waters-is not ideal terrain for aircraft carriers. "This is more about asserting that 'we can do whatever we want in our front yard,'" a South Korean defense source told The Chosun Ilbo. The newspaper's editorial claimed that the shallow depth of the Yellow Sea, as well as its vulnerability to anti-ship missiles, makes the PMZ "unsuitable" for aircraft-carrier operations. South Korean military data shows that China has maintained a persistent naval presence in the PMZ and South Korea's sole EEZ, but outside the U.S. ally's territorial waters that extend up to 13.8 miles from the coastline. The Chosun Ilbo wrote in an editorial on Sunday: "In this zone, where the maritime boundary with South Korea remains undefined, China had already installed fixed structures and large buoys believed to have military purposes. Now it has brought in a carrier as well. This likely signals an intent to turn the [Yellow Sea] into Chinese territorial waters and to build military power against the South Korea-U. S. and Japan-U. S. alliances." The Chinese Foreign Ministry said following a meeting between Chinese and South Korean officials in April: "The two sides also agreed to enhance mutual trust and strive to make the Yellow Sea into a sea of peace, friendship and cooperation, while jointly promoting the continuous development of the China-ROK strategic cooperative partnership." ROK stands for Republic of Korea, the official name of South Korea. It remains to be seen how South Korea will enhance its presence in the PMZ-including naval patrols and exercises-to counter growing Chinese activity in the disputed waters. Related Articles US States Seek To Ban Chinese Citizens From Buying Land, PropertyChina Issues Travel Warning Over LA RiotsChinese Aircraft Carrier Breaches Pacific Island Defense LineFBI Working With India to Disrupt Chinese Fentanyl Network-Kash Patel 2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.
Miami Herald
an hour ago
- Miami Herald
Chinese Satellites Capture Latest Position of North Korea's Damaged Warship
The second North Korean destroyer, which was damaged during a botched launch into the water last month, has been moved to a repair facility near the country's border with Russia. Newsweek has reached out to the North Korean Embassy in China for comment by email. While North Korea continues to enhance its nuclear and missile capabilities, leader Kim Jong Un is pushing for naval modernization as part of a broader effort to strengthen the country's conventional military power. However, an accident occurred during the launch of a 5,000-ton destroyer, which Kim described as a "criminal act" that "could not be tolerated." Following the accident, North Korea was seen deploying suspected balloons to assist in the recovery of the destroyer, according to satellite imagery. Last week, state media reported that the warship had been righted for repairs, confirming earlier satellite observations. Kim has reportedly set a deadline for its restoration ahead of a party Congress later this month. Undated imagery released on Monday by Chinese commercial satellite firm MizarVision shows the damaged North Korean destroyer inside a dry dock at the country's northeastern Rajin shipyard-near Russia's border-undergoing repairs following the May 21 accident. Citing satellite imagery captured by California-based Planet Labs, NK Pro of the South Korea-based media outlet NK News reported that the North Korean destroyer was seen being moved into the Rajin shipyard's dry dock on Sunday with assistance from support vessels. Yu Jihoon, a researcher at the Korea Institute for Defense Analyses, said the North Korean shipyard is capable of conducting "modest repairs and maintenance," CNN reported. The shipyard is located near Rason Port, NK Pro noted, where North Korea and Russia are suspected of engaging in weapons trade using cargo ships. North Korea has been supplying arms to Russia for its war against Ukraine, in exchange for military hardware from Moscow. "Restoration of the damaged warship could accordingly move faster if it involves replacing Russia-sourced electronics or weaponry damaged in the capsizing," NK Pro said. Newsweek has also reached out to the Russian Foreign Ministry for comment by email. A second undated satellite image from the Chinese commercial provider shows damage to infrastructure at North Korea's northeastern Hambuk shipyard, near the city of Chongjin, southwest of Rajin, where the destroyer partially capsized during its launch. The Korean Central News Agency reported on Friday: "After restoring the balance of the destroyer early in June, the [field restoration promotion team] moored it at the pier by safely conducting its end launching on Thursday afternoon … The next-stage elaborate restoration is to be carried out at the dry dock of the Rajin Dockyard for the period of 7-10 days." South Korea's newspaper The Dong-A Ilbo said on Monday, citing a South Korean government official: "The North Korean leader is believed to have ordered the ship's restoration to be completed before the Workers' Party plenary session later this month … Given the tight schedule, North Korea will likely need support from Russia." It remains to be seen whether North Korea will be able to complete repairs to the destroyer before Kim's deadline. It is unclear what consequences, if any, will follow if the deadline is missed. Related Articles North Korea Issues Update on Capsized Navy ShipUS Demands 'End' to Military Cooperation Between North Korea and Russia'Significant Step': New Photos Reveal North Korean Warship UpdateGlobal Arms Race Warning Issued As Nuclear Warheads Increase 2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.
