North Korea fires hundreds of artillery shells into disputed border area with South Korea

North Korea continues to fire hundreds of artillery rounds near its disputed sea border with South Korea. 

The hermit kingdom conducted another round of artillery drills on Saturday following the previous day's exercises that sparked panic in regions of its southern neighbor. 

South Korean intelligence estimates approximately 200 shells fired into the area on Friday and an additional 60 on Saturday. 

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North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, top center, with his daughter, far right, visits a factory that produces transport erector launchers in North Korea. (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP)

The South Korean Defense Ministry reportedly fired approximately 400 rounds in response to the provocation.

South Korean military officials are in contact with their U.S. counterparts as both countries monitor the situation.

"We gravely warn that the entire responsibility of such crisis-escalating situations lies with North Korea and strongly call for its immediate halt," said South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff spokesman Col. Lee Sung-jun at a Friday press conference. 

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A general view shows an unidentified boat before the North Korean coastline as seen from a viewpoint on Yeonpyeong island, near the 'northern limit line' sea boundary with North Korea. North Korea's military fired over 60 artillery rounds near Yeonpyeong Island on January 6, Seoul's military said, a day after both sides staged live-fire drills in the same area, near their contested maritime border. (JUNG YEON-JE/AFP via Getty Images)

He continued, "Under close coordination between South Korea and the United States, our military is tracking and monitoring related activity, and will conduct corresponding measures to North Korea's provocations."

The western sea border between North Korean and South Korean territory has been the site of multiple skirmishes since the end of the Korean War. 

Naval combat broke out briefly in 1999, 2022 and 2009. 

Col. Lee Sung-jun of South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff attends the press briefing of 2023 Freedom Shield Exercise at the Defense Ministry on March 03, 2023 in Seoul, South Korea. The 11-day Freedom Shield is part of an annual combined training with troops from South Korea and the United States.  (Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images)

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In 2010, North Korea allegedly torpedoed a warship owned by the South, killing 46 sailors. 

Four South Koreans were killed on Yeonpyeong Island the same year after the North's military bombarded the area.