MOSCOW, August 20. /TASS/. Current developments on the Korean peninsula came into the focus of Thursday's talks between Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Igor Morgulov and his North Korean opposite number Kung Sok-un, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a report.

"The sides exchanged opinions on a range of pressing aspects of bilateral relations, as well as on the current situation on the Korean peninsula," the ministry said.

Maria Zakharova, the official spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry said earlier exchange of artillery fire between the North Korean and South Korean forces "cannot but cause alarm."

"We believe the situation taking shape on the Korean peninsula at present calls for maximum restraint on the part of the sides involved," she said. "It’s important for them to stay away from any actions prone with aggravating the situation and particularly to avoid the use of firearms."

he North Korean army has shelled on Thursday the positions of the South Korean military in the western part of the Demilitarized Zone where loudspeakers used by Seoul in its propaganda campaign against Pyongyang are located. The incident occurred at about 4pm local time (10am Moscow time). The South Korean military opened reprisal fire on the alleged source of the artillery bombardments. The South Korean Ministry of National Defense has confirmed the information about the incident.