South Korea Begin Evacuating After Exchange Of Fire With North Korea

KCNA / Reuters

South Korea has ordered an evacuation following an ‘exchange of fire’ with North Korea near its western border, reports say.

According to reports, North Korea fired a shell at South Korean military units, prompting a retaliation from the South which involved several artillery rounds.

SK’s defence ministry say that NK fired a projectile towards the north-west town of Yeoncheon at 15:52 local time (06:52 GMT), with reports suggesting that the target may have been a loudspeaker broadcasting anti-Pyongyang messages.

The ministry added that the South then fired “dozens of rounds of 155mm shells” in the direction that the rocket was launched from, but there have been no immediate reports of injuries or deaths.

Officials in Seoul, South Korea’s capital city, are to hold an emergency session to discuss the developments. While no comments from Pyongyang were immediately available.

A local official told AP that around 80 residents had been evacuated from the border and have been urged to ‘take shelter’.

UNILAD