Asia-Pacific

DPRK shells ROK island; Seoul on high alert

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-11-23 14:21

Soldiers from a ROK army armoured division take part in an annual river-crossing exercise against a possible attack from DPRK on the Han river in Yeoju, about 100 km southeast of Seoul, Nov 23, 2010. [Photo/Agencies]

SEOUL - The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) fired Tuesday scores of artillery onto an island of Republic of Korea (ROK) and also into waters off the west coast of the Korean peninsula near a tense maritime border, Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said.

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Reportedly fired at 2:34 pm local time, some shells landed on ROK's Yeonpyeong Island and local residents are currently moving to shelters. Two have been injured while authorities are still checking on casualties, according to YTN television.

ROK fired some 30 artillery shells back in response, and the military is now put on the heightened alert.

The exchanges of fire came when ROK was engaged in massive annual military exercises involving some 70,000 troops, launched Monday and scheduled to last through Nov 30.