Soldiers of South and North Korea exchanged fire briefly in the eastern part of the demilitarized zone (DMZ) Monday evening, the South Korean Defense Ministry said today.

 

According to the ministry, the clash was triggered at 7:35 PM (1035 GMT) Monday when North Korean soldiers fired two bullets toward a South Korean guard post in Yanggu. South Korean soldiers immediately fired six rounds in response.

 

One of the two North Korean bullets hit a South Korean guard post inside the eastern part of DMZ in Yanggu, Kangwon Province, but left no casualties in South Korean side, the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said.

 

A probe into the shootout will be conducted as the incident is a violation of the armistice, officials of the JCS said.

 

North Korea has made no comment on the reported incident so far.

 

(Xinhua News Agency August 1, 2006)