North, South Korea Trade Heavy Machine-Gun Fire on Border

Local Editor

The two Koreas traded heavy machine-gun fire across their border Friday, as "missing" North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un's failed to attend a key political event, fueling further speculation about his physical health and political future.

No casualties were reported in the exchange of fire which South Korea said was triggered by the North Korean military trying to shoot down balloons carrying anti-Pyongyang leaflets that were launched by activists in the South.

Some rounds fell on the South side which then responded with high-caliber machine gun fire "towards the North's guard posts," a defense ministry spokesman said.

There was a further exchange of fire 10 minutes later, he added.

Local residents of Hwangsan-ri township in the border area of Yeoncheon were evacuated to shelters as a precaution.
While naval confrontations along the Koreas' disputed maritime border occur from time to time, any military engagement across the heavily-militarized land frontier is extremely rare.

In 2010, the North shelled the South Korean border island of Yeonpyeong, killing four people and briefly sparking fears of a full scale conflict.
The balloon launch from Hapsuri was one of several planned to coincide with North Korea's celebration of the 69th anniversary of its ruling Workers' Party.

Seoul allowed the exercises to go ahead, despite prior warnings from Pyongyang of "catastrophic" consequences.
Some of the balloons carried messages denouncing North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un, who has not been seen in public for more than a month.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team