Anchor: Military tension briefly rose off the nation’s west coast while inter-Korean family reunions were taking place over the weekend. A North Korean patrol boat crossed the de facto maritime border on Saturday. The ship retreated after the South Korean Navy fired warning shots, but the North has accused the South of engaging in a military provocation.
Our Kim In-kyung has more.
 
Report: A North Korean patrol boat that was conducting a crackdown on illegal Chinese fishing boats began moving towards the Northern Limit Line (NLL) on Saturday.
 
At around 3:30 p.m., when the patrol boat crossed the de facto western maritime border, two of the South Korean Navy's Chamsuri class high-speed boats were immediately mobilized to the scene and broadcast warning announcements.
 
After receiving no response, the South Korean Navy fired five warning shots. The North Korean vessel then crossed back into its waters after 17 minutes.
 
A military official said Sunday that the Navy acted in accordance with response procedures against vessels that cross the NLL by delivering warning announcements followed by warning shots.
 
North Korean vessels have crossed the NLL 12 times already this year.
 
But the North’s Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland told Pyongyang's state media that the South engaged in provocative acts against a North Korean patrol boat that was conducting maritime duties in the North's waters.
 
[Sound bite: the North’s Korean Central Television (Korean)]
"If (the South) continues to cling to reckless military provocations, there will be unpredictable armed clashes and South-North relations will return to the extremities seen before the August agreement."
 
However, the South Korean government doesn't believe the North intends to press the issue. Instead of delivering an official statement, Seoul says the North muted its response by conveying its position through a question and answer session with a reporter.
Kim In-kyung, KBS World Radio News.