North and South Korea exchange fire near sea border

North Korea has fired artillery shots near the disputed sea border with South Korea and the South has returned fire, according to Yonhap news agency.

It said the North fired several shells into the sea near the South Korean-controlled Baengnyeong Island off the countries’ western coast.

On Tuesday, North Korea declared a no-sail zone in waters off its coast, media reports said.

South Korea’s ministry of defence said it was checking the reports, AFP said.

The western sea border is a constant source of military tension between the two Koreas.

There have been three deadly exchanges between the two Koreas along the sea border in the past decade.

In the most recent incident, last November, their navies fought a brief gun battle that left one North Korean sailor dead and three others wounded.