North Korea's navy has accused South Korea of sending naval ships into the North's waters for the second day in a row today in what it said was a bid to harm ties still strained over a deadly June sea battle.
"The incidents were premeditated provocations committed by the South Korean military authorities to spoil the new atmosphere of dialogue between the North and the South and bring the situation to the brink of confrontation," said a statement issued by the Korean People's Army (KPA) Navy.
South Korea's defence ministry quickly denied the accusation, saying its vessels stayed well below the Northern Limit Line (NLL), which has been the two Korea's de facto maritime border since 1953. North Korea declared the NLL invalid in 1999.
"Our vessels were traveling on a normal course on our side of the NLL," said a ministry spokesman. "It appears that the North is trying to make this into an NLL issue again."
On June 29th, North Korean naval vessels crossed the NLL and fired upon a South Korean frigate, sinking it in a clash that killed five southern sailors and injured 19. Last week, North Korea expressed "regret" over the battle.