848 Chapter 6
captured in these incidents alone. Many of the casualties are related to North
Korean agents infiltrating into South Korea and clashing with border patrol and
police. These incidents were reported to have increased by late December 1968;
4/18/69: North Korea downed an unarmed US plane; the United States subse-
quently began to build up its navy presence in the area to protect other planes;
6/8/69: South Korea sank a North Korean vessel;
8/17/69: North Korea shot down a US helicopter it said violated airspace;
8/26/69: North Korea ambushed a South Korean patrol;
10/19/69: North Koreans ambushed US soldiers, killing 4;
In addition to the refusal of North Korea to return 47 members of a hijacked
South Korean plane in February 1970 (and allegations of their mistreatment), South
Korean navy ships engaged what they reported was a North Korean spy boat in
early April 1970 in a four-hour gun battle;
In June, North Koreans seized a South Korean navy broadcasting ship and
detained its crew;
6/22/70: South Korea put its troops on alert;
6/29/70: South Korean forces seized a North Korean military vessel;
7/28/70: South Korea sank another North Korean spy vessel after a gun battle;
9/7/70: South Korean soldiers repelled North Korean soldiers who tried to cross
the border;
10/12/70: A “scuffle” between American soldiers and North Korean soldiers was
reported; it delayed a meeting of the UN command because the United States boy-
cotted to protest the incident; in a separate report, the UN command accused North
Korea of a number of unprovoked attacks through the fall of 1970;
12/27/70: North Korea accused the United States of a maritime attack; the
United States said it involved a South Korean vessel; South Korea charged that
North Korea had attacked fishermen;
3/15/71: North Korea accused the United States of an airspace violation and
aggression and issued a warning for the United States to remember past intrusions
into its airspace;
4/2/71: North Korea warned that an allied military buildup could lead to a new
war;
5/15/71: South Korean sank another North Korean spy boat;
6/1/71: A four-hour gun battle took place in which a North Korean ship was sunk
and a South Korean plane went missing;
From June to September 20, 1971, several border violations occurred along
with border clashes between the countries. These border “infiltrations” triggered a
number of naval actions between countries as well, including seizure, destruction,
and a battle;
The last incident in this dispute occurred on September 19, 1971, when a border
clash occurred between South Korean military and North Korean infiltrators in
Kumgokni.Coding changes: Start Date changed from August 9, 1964. End Date changed from
October 19, 1969.