South Korea: Warning shots fired at North Korean patrol boat that crossed boundary

South Korea fired warning shots at a North Korean patrol boat after it temporarily crossed a disputed sea border, the south’s military said.

The North Korean vessel crossed over the sea border while pursuing a Chinese fishing boat on Saturday, the military said, adding that the North Korean ship retreated after warning shots were fired.

“Our military maintains decisive battle posture while monitoring the enemy’s movements in preparation for potential provocations regarding NLL (Northern Limit Line) violations by North Korean patrol boats,” the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement on Sunday.

The disputed sea border between the two countries, the Northern Limit Line, has served as a theater for provocation and naval showdowns in the past. South Korean officials said one of its ships came into “minor” contact with a Chinese vessel due to poor visibility, but said there were only slight injuries reported.

The tensions around the maritime border comes after North Korean missile tests in recent weeks have raised international concerns. Pyongyang test-fired what it said was a ballistic missile that could eventually be a weapon that would be harder to detect and could reach the mainland of the U.S.

The U.S., South Korea and Japan have also continued joint military exercises that North Korea has labeled a provocation. The U.S. and South Korean militaries are set to conduct exercises that will continue until April 28, including joint exercises featuring 110 warplanes including advanced fighter jets.