Army helicopter crossed military demarcation line during wildfire response

A Korean military helicopter mistakenly crossed the military demarcation line (MDL) during wildfire operations in a border area earlier this year, a lawmaker said Monday, citing the outcome of an audit.

The Army Surion helicopter mistakenly entered the buffer zone on March 23 in the border county of Yeoncheon, some 60 kilometers (37 miles) north of Seoul, according to audit results submitted to Rep. Kang Sun-young of the main opposition People Power Party.

The helicopter, carrying two pilots, was deployed to put out wildfires at the 5th Infantry Division but mistakenly entered the nearby 25th Infantry Division inside the demilitarized zone (DMZ), according to an audit by the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS).

The Surion chopper entered the DMZ without approval from the U.N. Command, which oversees operations inside the heavily fortified area. It reportedly crossed to the northern side of the MDL and continued firefighting operations there for a while.

The Army's Ground Operations Command and the front-line corps responsible for flight control were not aware of the MDL crossing at the time. They were later informed of the incident by the Air Force's master control and reporting center.

The military has since taken administrative action over the incident, issuing warnings to the I Corps and V Corps and a caution to the Ground Operations Command.

Yonhap