A group of North Korean soldiers on Tuesday briefly crossed the inter-Korean land border into the South before returning to their side after South Korean troops fired warning shots, the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said.

Axar.az reports, citing Yonhap Agency, the group of some 10 North Korean troops crossed the Military Demarcation Line inside the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) separating the two Koreas in an eastern front-line area at around 5 p.m., according to the JCS.

In response, South Korean troops aired warning broadcasts and fired warning shots, and the North Koreans headed back northward, it said.

"Our military is closely monitoring North Korean military activity and taking necessary measures based on operational procedures," the JCS said in a text message sent to reporters.