Arab News Japan

TOKYO: North Korea on Monday and Tuesday issued reports that it has fired artillery rounds as a warning to South Korea in response to “projectiles” it said was fired by the South.

The General Staff Department of the (DPRK) Korean People’s Army announced on Monday: “Between 8:30 and 15:50 on December 5, dozens of projectiles, presumed to be rockets, were fired toward the southeast [of North Korea] from the enemy’s direction.”

“The General Staff Department of the Korean People’s Army issued urgent orders to each front-line unit of the People’s Army to monitor the enemy situation and prepare thoroughly for a quick counterattack. 130 rounds of live artillery bombardment were conducted at sea for the purpose of a warning response.”

The North said it will respond to “all provocative actions of the enemy and always respond with decisive and overwhelming military action.” 

It warned South Korea not to cause an “unnecessary escalation of tensions in the front-line area.”

North Korea issued a further bulletin on Tuesday stating that the South had “fired rockets and howitzers in the vicinity of the front line.”

It added: “An order was issued to carry out live artillery bombardment at sea for the purpose of issuing a warning response.”