South Korea: North Korean Army Fires Hundreds of Artillery Shells Near Border
North Korea fired hundreds of artillery shells at the border with South Korea on Friday, the South Korean military said. A ballistic missile was fired the day before, and ten North Korean warplanes flew near the border.
The artillery was fired into the waters off the east and west coasts of North Korea. According to the South Korean military, they came down in buffer zones north of what is believed to be the maritime border between North and South Korea. According to Yonhap news agency, about 170 artillery shells were fired into maritime buffer zones and 200 toward the Sea of Japan.
The South Korean military also said more than 10 North Korean military aircraft flew to areas near the no-fly zone between the countries, prompting Seoul to deploy fighter jets.
South Korea’s National Security Council condemns the regime in Pyongyang for escalating tensions. The council also states that North Korea violates a 2018 pact prohibiting “hostile actions” in the border area.
His spokesman said that south Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol respects the agreements between the Koreas. However, he also says that the survival of the 2018 pact depends on Pyongyang. North Korea has recently conducted several missile tests, raising fears of North Korea’s first nuclear test since 2017.
