North Korea fired multiple artillery shells in the eastern and western seas of the Korean peninsula this followingnoon, and the shells landed in the buffer zone north of the Northern Limit Line (NLL), Yonhap News Agency reported in the evening.
The Joint Staff Headquarters stated that the military observed that the North Korean side started to launch more than 80 artillery shells from the Changjian area of Gangwon Province towards the eastern sea at 5:00 p.m. that day. Multiple shell explosions were heard, and a water column was observed to rise.
The Joint Consultant’s preliminary study concluded that the shells landed on the north side of the northern boundary line within the maritime buffer zone agreed by the two sides, and did not fall into South Korea’s territorial waters. The military has repeatedly used communication channels to issue warnings to North Korea, demanding an immediate cessation of provocative behavior.
The Joint Counselor stated that the firing of artillery shells in the buffer zone of the East-West Sea violates the “Military Agreement” between North and South Korea. The North Korea’s successive provocations pose a threat to the peace and stability of the Korean Peninsula and even the international community. . At present, the South Korean military is working closely with the U.S. side to closely monitor North Korea’s movements and maintain a high level of alert.
The Joint Chiefs of Staff said earlier in the day that between 1:20 and 1:25 a.m. this morning, North Korea launched an artillery attack from the Yellow Sea to the western waters, firing a total of more than 130 artillery shells. Later, from 2:57 to 3:7, more than 40 artillery shells were fired into the eastern sea in the area of Gueup-ri, Gangwon-do. The shells also fell into the East-West Sea buffer zone.
