North and South Korea exchange fire at the border

South Korean officials said North Korean troops fired multiple shots south into the demilitarized zone that divides the two countries, prompting South Korean forces to respond.

The rare exchange of fire comes a day after North Korean state media reported that leader Kim Jong-un had made his first public appearance in nearly three weeks after an absence that sparked intense speculation about his health and fears. on the stability of the isolated nation.

A South Korean guard post was hit by several shots from the north, the joint chief of staff (JCS) in Seoul said in a statement, adding that no victims were reported in the south.

“Our army responded with two shots and a warning announcement,” said the JCS.

The South Korean army later said the North Korean shooting “was not considered intentional,” according to the Yonhap news agency.

The two neighbors remain technically at war after the Korean War ended with an armistice in 1953, and despite its name, the Demilitarized Zone is one of the most fortified places in the world, filled with minefields and barbed wire fences. .

Relieving military tensions at his border was one of the agreements reached between Kim and South Korean President Moon Jae-in at a summit in Pyongyang in September 2018.

But most of the agreements have not been implemented by North Korea, and Pyongyang largely cut off contact with Seoul.

North Korea’s discussions with the United States over Pyongyang’s nuclear arsenal are also stalled, despite three meetings between Kim and United States President Donald Trump.

Uncertainty about the process would have increased had Kim been incapacitated or died as rumored in recent weeks.

However, North Korean state television showed him walking, smiling broadly and smoking a cigarette at what he said was the opening of a fertilizer factory on Friday.

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North Korean leader Kim makes public appearance at factory

A day later, Trump said he was happy with Kim’s reappearance and that the North Korean leader is apparently healthy.

“For my part, I’m glad to see he’s back, and well!” the president tweeted.

Before Kim’s reappearance, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said last month that he was still hoping that a nuclear deal with North Korea could be closed.

“Regardless of what happens within North Korea regarding its leadership, our mission remains the same: to deliver on that commitment that President Kim made to President Trump … (verified) denuclearization of North Korea” Pompeo told reporters. .

“We are still hopeful of finding a way to negotiate that solution to obtain the result that is good for the American people, good for the people of North Korea and for the whole world.”