An evacuation order that was issued for the five northwestern islands in the West Sea following North Korea's firing of artillery shells near the Northern Limit Line has been lifted.

Ongjin County of Incheon Metropolitan City said it gave the all clear for the islands, including Yeonpyeong, Baengnyeong and Daechong, at around 3:46 p.m. Friday, or three-and-a-half hours after the order was issued. 

According to the county, some 24 percent of the two-thousand-85 residents of Yeonpyeong Island evacuated to eight sites while around nine percent of the four-thousand-875 residents of Baengnyeong Island and two-and-a-half percent of the one-thousand-422 residents of Daecheong Island headed to shelters. 

With the order in place, operations were restricted for three passenger ships that were set to sail between Incheon and the islands of Yeonpyeong and Baengnyeong from 1 p.m. 

After receiving related information from the military, coast guard officials had five fishing vessels that were fishing around the five islands to return to ports by 2 p.m. 

The South Korean military conducted a live-fire drill on Friday in response to the North’s firing of more than 200 artillery shells earlier in the morning.

Friday marked the first time that Marine units deployed to the northwestern islands conducted such drills since the inter-Korean military agreement was signed in 2018.