The South Korean military expressed "serious concern" Friday over Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK)'s repeated claim that South Korean Navy warships violated the disputed western sea border.

"Regarding the (DPRK's) continuous claim that our Navy ships conducting regular patrol missions have violated their territorial waters, we express serious concern and consider it regrettable," the Navy said in a statement.

The South Korean navy said it will analyze the DPRK's intentions in repeating the allegation, adding that its troops arepreparing themselves for "any possible eventuality."

"We urge the North once again to stop issuing claims that couldheighten tension in the waters along the maritime border," it said.

The DPRK navy published three press releases this month, accusing the South Korean warships of repeatedly intruding on its territorial waters off the west coast and escalating tension in the area.

South Korea viewed the Northern Limit Line (NLL) as the de-facto inter-Korean sea border in the Yellow Sea. The NLL was drawnup by the US-led United Nations Command at the end of Korean War (1950-1953). However, Pyongyang has not accepted the conception of NLL and insisted the sea border should be re-drawn further south.

South Korea and the DPRK had two naval skirmishes in 1999 and 2002 near the NLL in the Yellow Sea, resulting in heavy casualtieson both sides.

Source: Xinhua