North Korea fires 200+ artillery rounds, evacuation order issued in South Korea

• North Korea fires near Yeonpyeongdo in South Korea
• North Korea launched over 200 artillery rounds into the sea near the heavily fortified maritime border with South Korea
• Residents were instructed to evacuate due to an unspecified "situation," with a text message mentioning "naval fire" by South Korean troops

North Korea launched over 200 artillery rounds into the sea near the heavily fortified maritime border with South Korea on Friday, leading to the evacuation order for residents of two South Korean islands due to an unspecified "situation". The defense ministry did not confirm whether the evacuation was prompted by North Korea's artillery firing or South Korean drills.

However, a text message sent to residents mentioned "naval fire" by South Korean troops starting at 3 p.m. on Friday.

The evacuation on Yeonpyeong Island, just South of the disputed Northern Limit Line (NLL), was made at the request of the South Korean military. The North's artillery fire caused no damage in the South, according to South Korea's military briefing. In addition to Yeonpyeong, residents of Baengnyeong Island, situated further west and close to the sea border, were also instructed to evacuate, as confirmed by a local village official. . No damage was reported in South Korea, and the shells landed north of the Northern Limit Line (NLL), the de facto sea boundary between the two Koreas.

South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff told North Korea fired 200 rounds in the waters north of their disputed western sea boundary, violating a 2018 military agreement. South Korea labelled the North Korean drills a provocation. Repotedly Seoul warned on Friday that it would respond with 'appropriate' measures to North Korea's shelling.

A Yeonpyeong village official said that the evacuation order was issued after a request from the South Korean military.