The South Korean military confirmed on March 24, 2026, that one of its helicopters briefly entered the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) separating the two Koreas during a wildfire-fighting operation. The incident occurred on March 22, 2026, while the aircraft was battling a blaze near the border town of Cheorwon in Gangwon Province.
According to a statement from the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), the helicopter, a Surion utility chopper, crossed about 100 meters into the northern side of the DMZ for approximately one minute. The military stated the incursion was unintentional, caused by poor visibility from the smoke of the wildfire. The JCS said it immediately notified the United Nations Command (UNC) about the incident.
There was no immediate response from North Korean forces, and the helicopter returned to South Korean airspace without further incident. The military stated it has since taken measures to prevent similar occurrences during future emergency operations near the heavily fortified border.
