North and South Korea exchange gunfire

SANAA, May 3 (YPA) –  On Sunday, North and South Korea exchanged fire in the demilitarized zone dividing the Korean peninsula, prompting South Korean troops to retaliate.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff of the South Korean Army said in a statement that a South Korean guard position was hit by several shots from the North, noting that no casualties  were reported on the south side.

“Our army responded with two rounds of fire and a warning,” Seoul said, adding that it was communicating with the North via the military hotline to determine the cause of the incident.

Later, the South Korean military said the North Korean shots were “not considered intentional,” according to Yonhap News Agency.

The two Koreas have been practically at war since the cessation of hostilities under the 1953 armistice, and the demilitarized zone, unlike its name, is one of the most fortified areas in the world, full of mines and fenced with barbed wire.

The unusual exchange of fire between the two sides comes a day after North Korean state media announced the first public appearance of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un after three weeks of absence, and after rumors circulated by Western media about his health.

E.M