North Korea exchanged fire with South Korea's military across border: Reports

The South Korean military has said that North and South troops exchanged fire on May 3 along the tense land border. According to reports, this was the first such incident between troops from both sides since they took unforeseen steps in late 2018 and lowered the friction on the front-line. According to reports, the world’s most heavily armed border, several violent confrontations have taken place occasionally but the recent exchange of artilleries implies that the tensions between both, North and South Korea are persistent. However, the incident did not result in any deaths in South Korea and reportedly observers have said the situation will not escalate further.

According to the international news agency, the Joint Chiefs of Staff in Seoul has said that it was North Korean troops that fired multiple bullets at the guard post of its rival in South that lies inside the border. In retaliation, South Korea fired two bullets towards North only after warning a broadcast. While there were no casualties in the South, it remains unknown if there were any in North. North Korean agencies have not yet reported the incident. Moreover, South Korea even said that it was trying to reach out to North Korea through military landline in a bid to avoid any escalation. 

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A day after Kim appeared in public

The exchange of fires between both sides came just a day after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s public appearance was broadcasted by media after nearly being absent for 20 days leading to intense speculation about his health. On May 1, Kim was spotted smiling and walking around the factory facilities at a ceremony marking the completion of a fertilizer factory near Pyongyang.

Speculations over the condition Kim’s health and his sudden lack of public appearances grew intense when an American media cited US intelligence monitoring North Korea to claim that Kim was in “grave danger” after cardiovascular surgery. However, hours after that report sent shock waves,  two government sources of international media outlet from South Korea said on April 21 that he was "not gravely ill". 

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(With AP inputs)

(Image Source: AP)