North Korea has fired over 200 artillery rounds this Friday near a disputed maritime border with South Korea.

The shots were fired this Friday in another escalation of tension between the rivals and prompting the South to take corresponding action with live fire drills.

The South Korean military have now ordered residents of Yeompyeong and Baengnyeong islands on the western maritime frontier to evacuate to bomb shelters.

South Korea’s Defence Minister Shin Won-sik who is supervising the fire drills has referred to North Korea’s action as an act of provocation.

The firing by North Korea however, did not result in any civilian or military damage in the South.