SEOUL, January 5. /TASS/. South Korea’s armed forces held firing drills in response to a North Korean shelling attack on the islands of Yeonpyeong and Baengnyeongdo, Yonhap reported, citing South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS).

It is noted that marine units stationed on these islands took part in the drills. The South Korean side shelled the adjacent waters using K9 self-propelled howitzers.

On Friday, the JCS reported that North Korean coastal artillery had fired over 200 rounds in the direction of South Korean islands in the Yellow Sea. According to it, there have been no casualties among South Korean civilians or the military. The shells dropped north of the Northern Limit Line (NLL) which Seoul considers the de facto maritime border in the Yellow Sea.

Earlier, the evacuation was ordered at Yeonpyeong and Baengnyeongdo at the request of the military.