North Korea launched 200 rounds of artillery into waters near its contested western sea border with South Korea on Friday. As a result, the South Korean military requested that residents on two nearby islands seek shelter.
According to South Korean officials, the shells landed north of the disputed border, specifically the Northern Limit Line, between 9 and 11 a.m. Fortunately, no damage was reported.
North Korea Fires 200 Artillery Near South Korea Island
The military in the South has accused the North of actions that are seen as a threat to peace and causing increased tensions. They have stated their commitment to taking appropriate actions in response. Shortly after, it was reported that a response was made to the provocation from the North, with artillery shells being fired into the waters south of the disputed border.
However, as the South Korean military geared up for a firing exercise in border waters, island officials on Yeonpyeong and Baengnyeong urged residents to take shelter starting at noon.
Several ferry departures from Incheon, a port west of Seoul, the South Korean capital, to the islands on Friday afternoon were also canceled. Residents of the island remain cautious about potential provocations from North Korea, particularly in light of the 2010 incident where artillery and rockets were fired, resulting in the loss of lives of South Korean civilians and marines.
In response, the South launched a counterattack on the North Korean shore, using artillery fire. Residents on the islands have become familiar with the routine of receiving instructions to vacate their homes and seek refuge in underground shelters.
The islands are scattered with underground and concrete shelters, and these orders are frequently given during military drills or when North Korea has fired its rockets towards the south.
Following the completion of a weeklong joint live-fire military drill in Pocheon, north of Seoul, the North's artillery firing occurred the next day. The drill included the use of artillery, tanks, armored vehicles, and A-10 Warthog planes by South Korea and the United States.
On Thursday, North Korea issued a strong statement, warning of retaliation against its adversaries and describing them as "mad dogs" who will face severe consequences.
In a recent development, North Korean artillery was fired on Friday, marking a significant event since the North decided to abandon the agreement it had previously signed with South Korea in 2018.
This agreement aimed to put an end to hostilities, including live-fire military drills, near the border. In November, South Korea suspended part of the pact before resuming surveillance flights near the border to enhance their monitoring of the North Korean military. North Korea promptly declared the termination of the entire agreement, as per NY Times.
Read Also : China Designates Patrols in Disputed South China Sea Amid Philippines, US Joint Military Drills
Kim Jong Un Visits Missile Factory
Meanwhile, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visited a factory that manufactures mobile launchers for intercontinental ballistic missiles, as reported by state media on Friday. During the visit, he also instructed for heightened preparations for a potential "military confrontation with the adversary."
Kim toured the transporter erector launcher, or TEL, facility accompanied by his young daughter Ju-ae and a group of senior officials, including his sister Kim Yo Jong, propaganda chief Ri Il Hwan, and close aide Jo Yong Won. According to the state-run Korean Central News Agency, he emphasized the importance of strengthening national defense capabilities by focusing on strategic missiles.
Kim emphasized the need for production to be accelerated continuously, considering the serious situation that demands the country to be better prepared for a potential military confrontation. The situation on the Korean Peninsula continues to be fraught, as North Korea persists in its U.N.-prohibited nuclear and missile programs, while Seoul and Washington strengthen their military collaboration.
