By EVAN RAMSTAD
SEOUL—North Korea fired artillery at South Korea's Yeonpyeong island in the Yellow Sea off the countries' west coast Tuesday afternoon, setting houses on fire. South Korea returned fire, according to residents on the island speaking on South Korea's YTN television network.
In a file picture taken on May 31, 2009 a North Korean navy patrol boat is seen amongst North Korean fishing boats from the South Korea-controlled Yeonpyeong island in the disputed waters of the Yellow Sea. Several North Korean artillery shells landed on a South Korean border island on November 23, 2010 damaging homes and causing injuries, YTN television reported.
A spokesman for South Korea's joint chief of staff confirmed the exchange but didn't have details except to say "scores of rounds" were fired by the North.
The artillery—more than 50 rounds, according to island residents speaking on YTN—was fired from positions south of the North Korean city of Haeju.
The attack started at 2:34 p.m. local time, according to residents who were speaking on the TV network. There were no immediate reports of injuries.
About 1,200 people live on the island, which is 10 kilometers south of the tip of North Korea's south coast.
The attack is the second by North Korea this year against South Korea in the maritime border area of the Yellow Sea. In March, a North Korean submarine torpedoed and sank a South Korean warship near an island about 40 miles west of the island that was hit Tuesday.
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