South Korea’s Armed Forces are on high alert due to new challenges from the Pyongyang regime.

According to the Yonhap news agency, North Korea fired 200 artillery shells off the west coast of Yeonpyeong and Bangyeong islands in the Yellow Sea and a “breath” away from the disputed maritime border.

After Seoul called for the immediate evacuation of residents on the two islands, it announced it was moving to live-fire military drills. These are the first exercises of this type in the region since the two countries withdrew in November from an agreement reached in 2018 to avoid military incidents along the border.

The region’s other major power, China, called for restraint.

China hopes that the parties will refrain from measures that exacerbate tensions and avoid further escalation, Chinese diplomatic spokesman, Wang Wenbin, said during a press briefing.

The Chinese Armed Forces also announced that they conducted a usual joint naval patrol and air exercise today in the South China Sea, without giving further details.

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