SEOUL: North and South Korean troops briefly exchanged fire Sunday in the latest in a series of minor border skirmishes that have raised military tensions on the divided peninsula.

The South’s defence ministry said the exchange inside the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) that separates the two rivals lasted only 10 minutes.

There were no reported casualties. Despite its name, the DMZ is probably the world’s most heavily militarised border, bristling with watchtowers and landmines.

Four kilometres wide, it straddles the Military Demarcation Line (MDL) which marks the actual frontier.

A defence ministry official said a South Korean border patrol had spotted North Korean troops approaching close to the MDL.—AFP