(MENAFN) South Korea has taken a decisive step in response to what it labels a military "provocation" by North Korea, issuing an evacuation order for civilians on an island near the border. The order, issued twice on Friday afternoon by local authorities, comes as Seoul accuses Pyongyang of firing hundreds of artillery shells in a move deemed provocative by South Korean officials.
The evacuation order was prompted by "apparent signs of a military provocation by North Korea," with authorities acting on information received from a military unit engaged in a maritime strike on Yeongpyeong Island. According to reports by Yonhap News, Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) later confirmed that North Korea had launched approximately 200 artillery shells off its west coast on Friday morning. While the projectiles landed in a maritime buffer zone established under a 2018 agreement between the two countries, North Korea has since withdrawn from that accord.
JCS spokesperson Colonel Lee Sung-jun strongly condemned North Korea's actions, asserting that the responsibility for escalating the crisis lies with Pyongyang. He urged an immediate halt to such provocations, emphasizing that the South Korean military is in close coordination with the United States, tracking and monitoring related activities while preparing corresponding measures.
In response to the artillery firing by North Korea, Seoul plans to conduct live-fire drills on the northwestern border islands in the Yellow Sea later on Friday. These measures indicate a firm and coordinated response by South Korea to the rising tensions, emphasizing the gravity of the situation. The international community will be closely watching developments, as the Korean Peninsula once again finds itself in a precarious state of heightened military activity, underscoring the ongoing challenges in the region.
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