South Korea says it believes that a hole cut through a wire fence on the demilitarized border with North Korea was likely made by a South Korean civilian in an attempt to enter the North.

That's versus earlier suspicions that it may have been caused by North Korean agents trying to enter the South.

Such was the conclusion of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, announced at a news conference Tuesday evening.

A spokesman for the Joint Chiefs said a study of foot and hand prints found nearby, as well as the angle and shape of the hole, led to the conclusion that the hole was likely not cut by North Korean agents.

Also from the prints, he said only one person was believed to have attempted the cross-over.

Earlier in the day, the defense ministry said South Korean soldiers patrolling the demilitarized zone Tuesday morning in the northeastern Kangwon province found a hole cut open in the wire fence.

The announcement comes on the heels of conflicting statements by other ministry officials who said it was highly inprobable that a civilian had attempted to cross the world's most heavily-fortified border, without getting caught.