North Korea fired over 200 rounds of artillery from north of South Korea's border islands of Baengnyeong and Yeonpyeong Friday morning, prompting authorities to issue evacuation orders for residents in the area.

According to the Joint Chiefs of Staff(JCS), the firings took place between 9 and 11 a.m., with the point of impact above the Northern Limit Line(NLL), the de facto maritime border, with no damage inflicted on the South Korean military.

The military termed the latest firings as provocation by the North that threatens peace and escalates tensions on the Korean Peninsula, following the regime's unilateral termination of the 2018 inter-Korean military deal on November 23, 2023.

The JCS urged Pyongyang to immediately suspend the provocation, gravely warning that the regime is responsible for the escalation of such a crisis.

It said the militaries from South Korea and the U.S. are in close coordination as they track down and conduct surveillance on the North's movements, pledging corresponding measures to the regime's provocation.

[Photo : YONHAP News]