North Korea continues to fire hundreds of shells near its disputed border with South Korea.
The Hermit Kingdom conducted another artillery drill on Saturday, following an exercise the day before that caused panic in its southern neighbor.
South Korean intelligence estimates that about 200 shells were fired into the area on Friday, and another 60 on Saturday.
North Korea fires 200 shells near border, violates 2018 military agreement, South says
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un (the highest-ranking member of the Workers' Party of Korea) and his daughter (far-right) visit a factory that manufactures North Korean transport Erector launchers. (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Agency, Associated Press)
South Korea's Ministry of Defense reportedly fired around 400 rounds in response to the provocation.
South Korean military officials are in contact with their U.S. counterparts as both countries monitor the situation.
“We strongly warn North Korea that it bears full responsibility for this escalating crisis situation, and we strongly urge it to stop immediately,” Col. Lee Sung-joon, a spokesman for the South Korean military's Joint Chiefs of Staff, said at a press conference on Friday. .
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An overall view of an unidentified ship in front of North Korea's coastline, as seen from the perspective of Yeonpyeong Island, which is close to the maritime boundary line of the Northern Limit Line with North Korea. Seoul's military announced that North Korean troops fired more than 60 artillery shells near Yeonpyeong Island on January 6, a day after the two countries held live-fire exercises in the same area near their disputed maritime border. (JUNG YEON-JE/AFP via Getty Images)
He continued, “With close cooperation between South Korea and the United States, our military is tracking and monitoring related activities, and will take appropriate measures in response to North Korea's provocations.''
The West Sea border between North and South Korean territory has been the scene of numerous skirmishes since the end of the Korean War.
Naval battles occurred briefly in 1999, 2022, and 2009.
Col. Lee Sung-joon of the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff attends a press conference for Exercise Freedom Shield 2023 at the Ministry of Defense in Seoul, South Korea, March 3, 2023. The 11-day Freedom Shield is part of an annual joint training exercise between South Korean and U.S. militaries. (Jung Sung Joon/Getty Images)
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In 2010, North Korea torpedoed a South Korean-owned warship, killing 46 sailors.
In the same year, four South Koreans were killed in North Korean artillery fire on Yeonpyeong Island.
