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| North Korea 'fires shots' at South Korea as border towns evacuated | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| South Korea has ordered the evacuation of residents from the border after North Korea “fired shots”, according to reports. | South Korea has ordered the evacuation of residents from the border after North Korea “fired shots”, according to reports. |
| According to South Korean media, they were aiming at a loudspeaker which had been blaring anti-Pyongyang propaganda. | According to South Korean media, they were aiming at a loudspeaker which had been blaring anti-Pyongyang propaganda. |
| KBS News, a Korean state broadcaster, quoted a South Korean military officer who said shots were fired around 4pm local time, according to Reuters. | KBS News, a Korean state broadcaster, quoted a South Korean military officer who said shots were fired around 4pm local time, according to Reuters. |
| Around 80 residents in a border town, Yeoncheon, where the shell fell were evacuated to underground bunkers and other residents were urged to leave, according to a local official that wished to remain anonymous. | |
| Baeknyeong Island, near the disputed sea boundary and the site of skirmishes in recent years, is reported to have been evacuated, according to island officials. | |
| In a nearby city of Paju, officials told residents to remain at home. | |
| No injuries or damage have been reported on the south side of the border. | |
| South Korea's defence ministry said its military had returned fire in a statement on Thursday. | South Korea's defence ministry said its military had returned fire in a statement on Thursday. |
| It said that their surveillance equipment had detected a single North Korea shell fired across the border and confirmed it had fired dozens of shells at the location of that North Korean shell. | It said that their surveillance equipment had detected a single North Korea shell fired across the border and confirmed it had fired dozens of shells at the location of that North Korean shell. |
| South Korea's president, Park Geun-hye, has hosted an emergency meeting at the Blue House, South Korea's presidential house, with ministers to respond the renewed border hostilities. | |
| South Korean President Park Geun-Hye (C) presides over an emergency National Security Council session on North Korea's rocket firing at the presidential Blue House in Seoul on August 20, 2015. | |
| The North has previously said it would retaliate against South Korean rhetoric being blasted across the border, praising their democracy and criticising alleged North Korean provocations. | The North has previously said it would retaliate against South Korean rhetoric being blasted across the border, praising their democracy and criticising alleged North Korean provocations. |
| It has also restarted using its own loudspeaker to denounce the southern regime. | |
| Seoul starting broadcasting against the North last week in the response to what it alleges were North Korean-laid land mines which maimed two South Korean soldiers. | Seoul starting broadcasting against the North last week in the response to what it alleges were North Korean-laid land mines which maimed two South Korean soldiers. |
| The artillery exchange comes just days after South Korea and the Unites began their annual summertime military drills which North Korea calls an "invasion rehersal". | |
| Both Seoul and Washington say the drills are "defensive". | |
| Additional reporting by Reuters and AP | Additional reporting by Reuters and AP |
| More to follow | More to follow |