South Korea’s military has warned that it will respond firmly to any further provocation from North Korea. The statement rejects Pyongyang’s claim that Seoul is responsible for escalating tensions along the heavily fortified inter-Korean border. Instead, South Korea portrays North Korean actions as the source of danger to stability. The warning leaves little doubt that another incident could trigger a military response. Both countries have forces stationed near a narrow frontier where a small confrontation can quickly involve larger forces. The dispute is therefore about official accusations, but also about the possibility of retaliation at the border. The latest exchange raises the risk of a direct clash unless the sides pull back from their positions.