Unification Minister Visits Truce Village Days After Shooting

Unification Minister Kim Yeon-chul visited the border truce village of Panmunjom on Wednesday, just three days after North Korea fired at a South Korean guard post in the demilitarized zone.

Kim also visited the site of a guard post in the border town of Paju, Gyeonggi Province that was dismantled under an inter-Korean military pact signed in September 2018.

Among the guard posts that have been demolished, this is the only area available for public visits.

Kim's visit to the area sparked controversy as North Korea has made no apology for the shooting. The ministry explained the minister's visit was planned in advance.

The South Korean military and intelligence authorities have claimed that the shooting must have been "accidental," but all four bullets lodged squarely in a cluster in the guard post wall.

The UN Command, which is supposed to keep the peace in the DMZ, said Wednesday that it has launched an on-site investigation whose findings will be provided to the South Korean government.