AKIPRESS.COM - North Korea has fired shells near the Northern Limit Line, its maritime border with the South, Deutsche Welle reported today.

Neither North nor South Korea appeared to be firing at any particular targets, either naval or on land, as they traded fire across their disputed maritime border on Monday. Defense officials in Seoul said that the South decided to return fire after some DPRK shells crossed the Northern Limit Line in the Yellow Sea.

Residents on the South Korean border islands of Yeonpyeong and Baengnyeaong were taken to shelters as a precaution. In November 2010, four people were killed by North Korean shellfire on Yeonpyeong.

Somewhat unusually, the North had issued an advance warning about its drill, advising Seoul to “control” its naval vessels off the western coast. South Korea had subsequently warned of immediate retaliation if any ordinance crossed the naval border.

The North does not usually warn the South about live-fire exercises, but the latest drill comes at a time of renewed tension on the peninsula.