North Korea has shelled a South Korean military unit on the western section of the inter-Korean border, a move retaliated by the South’s military, according to the South’s defense ministry.
Defense ministry said on Thursday that South Korean military detected a projectile from the North, presumed to be a rocket, into the South’s Yeonchon area.
Reports suggest the target could have been a loudspeaker broadcasting anti-Pyongyang messages.
North Korea fired a projectile towards Yeoncheon, a town north-west of Seoul, at 15:52 local time (06:52 GMT), the defense ministry said.
The South then fired “dozens of rounds of 155mm shells” towards where they thought the rocket was launched from, the ministry added in a statement.
“Our military has stepped up monitoring and is closely watching North Korean military movements,” defense ministry said.
There were no immediate reports of any injuries or damage on either side.
Reports also say, South Korea has ordered the evacuation of residents from an area of its western border after an exchange of fire with North Korea.
South Korea’s National Security Council is due to hold an emergency session.
The South Korean defense ministry said North Korea reiterated its demands, saying propaganda must cease within 48 hours or else it would initiate military actions.
The two sides have exchanged cross-border fire several times in recent years.
The two Korean remain technically at war, because the 1950-1953 war ended in an armistice, not a peace treaty.
Relations between North and South Korea are tenser than usual at the moment in the wake of a land mine incident this month. Two South Korean troops were hit by a primitive landmine explosion, with Seoul blaming Pyongyang, an accusation the North denied. Mounting propaganda loudspeakers along the borders was the South’s response to the incident.
By: Kevin N.
