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Central military commission of DPRK's ruling Workers' Party of Korea convened an emergency enlarged meeting Thursday evening after South Korea fired dozens of artillery shells at the country, which Seoul said had earlier launched shells toward the south side in the western border, the state media KCNA reported
The DPRK side has denied firing a shell into the territory of the south, saying that it was an excuse for Seoul to make such a severe military provocation which is intolerable for the DPRK, according to a report issued by the supreme command of the Korean People's Army and carried by the KCNA.
Although no casualties were found after South Korea fired scores of shellings toward the DPRK, the report said, it was a "grave military provocation" that targeted the DPRK's "sacred territory and motherland-protecting sentry posts."
The report warned that if South Korean authorities don't halt propaganda broadcasts and stop all means of propaganda warfare toward the north within the next 48 hours, the army will launch strong military actions in response.
How this ultimatum will be dealt with will be closely watched, it added.
South Korea's military on Thursday fired 36 shells with 155 mm in caliber toward the DPRK, which Seoul said had earlier launched artillery into the South side in the western border twice, respectively at 3:53 p.m. (0653 GMT) and 4:12 p.m. (0712 GMT).
The South Korean presidential office immediately convened an emergency meeting of the National Security Council (NSC), which was chaired by President Park Geun-hye, with top presidential security advisor, presidential chief of staff, spy agency head and ministers of foreign affairs, unification and defense in attendance.
Hundreds of South Korean people living in villages near the west border were evacuated.
The shelling raised the already heightened tensions on the Korean Peninsula. On Aug. 4, two South Korean soldiers were maimed after the explosion of three wooden-box landmines, which South Korea claimed had been planted by DPRK forces.
In response, South Korea's military resumed propaganda broadcasts with loudspeakers for the first time over the past 11 years in frontline units from Aug. 10, causing threats from the DPRK saying that it would strike the loudspeakers harshly.
The General Staff of the Korean People's Army of the DPRK delivered a message to the South Korean Defense Ministry through the west military hotline at about 5 p.m. (0800 GMT) on Thursday, urging South Korea's frontline army units to stop propaganda broadcasts within 48 hours from 5 p.m. and remove all available facilities for psychological warfare. Enditem
