A North Korean guard shot dead three people and wounded a fourth on the border with China last week, it emerged today.
A Chinese foreign ministry spokesman said the guard shot four Chinese residents from the north-eastern border town of Dandong, apparently on suspicion that they were crossing the border for illegal trade.
“On the morning of June 4th, some residents of Dandong, in Liaoning province, were shot by a DPRK border guard on suspicion of crossing the border for trade activities, leaving three dead and one injured,” he said, using the acronym for North Korea’s formal name, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.
China has formally complained to North Korea over the incident.
“China attaches great importance to that and has immediately raised a solemn representation with the DPRK. Now the case is under investigation,” he said.
Dandong is a major shipping point and rail link for goods going into and out of North Korea from China.
AP