A forest fire broke out near the Demilitarized Zone(DMZ) in Goseong County, Gangwon Province, prompting authorities to act quickly to try and put out the blaze.

According to the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the fire, of unknown cause, was detected around the DMZ at 4:30 p.m. Thursday.

Since 6:30 a.m. Friday, two firefighting helicopters from the Korea Forest Service were deployed to help extinguish the flames.
 
So far, there has been no damage to South Korean military facilities and no military personnel have been injured.
 
It’s believed the forest fire broke out near the North Korean military’s front-line post and spread northward and southward.
 
A JCS official said the starting point of the fire was south of the Military Demarcation Line, adding that they do not believe it was set by the North.
 
Local officials said the fire is unlikely to spread further south as winds have died down.

The defense ministry said it broadcast to the North that the firefighting helicopters were working on the fire and were not there for military purposes, adding that efforts to extinguish the forest fire are going smoothly.