North Korea Shells South Korea , which returns fire AP

Rival Koreas trade artillery fire at border over broadcasts

The Associated Press - By By HYUNG-JIN KIM - Associated Press

54 minutes ago

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  Residents gather at a shelter in Yeoncheon, the South Korean town where the shell fell in South Korea Thursday, Aug. 20, 2015. South Korea's military fired dozens of shells Thursday at rival North Korea after the North lobbed a single artillery round at the South Korean border town, the South's Defense ministry said. (Hong Hae-in/Yonhap via AP) KOREA OUT

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  South Korean residents gather at a shelter in the South Korean town of Yeoncheon where the shell fell Thursday, Aug. 20, 2015. South Korea's military fired dozens of shells Thursday at rival North Korea after the North lobbed a single artillery round at the border town, the South's Defense ministry said. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

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  South Korean residents gather at a shelter in the South Korean town of Yeoncheon where the shell fell Thursday, Aug. 20, 2015. South Korea's military fired dozens of shells Thursday at rival North Korea after the North lobbed a single artillery round at the border town, the South's Defense ministry said. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

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  South Korean residents gather at a shelter in the South Korean town of Yeoncheon where the shell fell Thursday, Aug. 20, 2015. South Korea's military fired dozens of shells Thursday at rival North Korea after the North lobbed a single artillery round at the border town, the South's Defense ministry said. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

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  A South Korean resident watches his mobile phone to read news as people gather at a shelter in the South Korean town of Yeoncheon where the shell fell Thursday, Aug. 20, 2015. South Korea's military fired dozens of shells Thursday at rival North Korea after the North lobbed a single artillery round at the border town, the South's Defense ministry said. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

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  South Korean residents gather at a shelter in the South Korean town of Yeoncheon where the shell fell Thursday, Aug. 20, 2015. South Korea's military fired dozens of shells Thursday at rival North Korea after the North lobbed a single artillery round at the border town, the South's Defense ministry said. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

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  Residents carry emergency goods to a shelter at the South Korean border town of Yeoncheon Thursday, Aug. 20, 2015. South Korea's military fired dozens of shells Thursday at rival North Korea after the North lobbed a single artillery round at Yeoncheon, the South's Defense ministry said. About 80 residents in the town where the shell fell were evacuated to underground bunkers, and authorities urged other residents to evacuate, a Yeoncheon official said. (Hong Hae-in/Yonhap via AP) KOREA OUT

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  A South Korean soldier uses a radio on a military vehicle at the South Korean border town of Yeoncheon, South Korea, Thursday, Aug. 20, 2015. South Korea's military fired dozens of shells Thursday at rival North Korea after the North lobbed a single artillery round at the border town, the South's Defense ministry said. (Hong Hae-in/Yonhap via AP) KOREA OUT

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  People watch a television news program reporting about South Korea's respond to the North with a file video footage at Seoul train station in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, Aug. 20, 2015. South Korea's military fired dozens of shells Thursday at rival North Korea after the North lobbed a single artillery round at a South Korean border town, the South's Defense ministry said. The letters read "South Korean military, respond 155mm shells to the North." (Kim Do-hun/Yonhap via AP) KOREA OUT

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  A man locks a shutter of his shop after an evacuation order is issued to the residents and visitors at the Imjingak Pavilion near the border village of Panmunjom, which has separated the two Koreas since the Korean War, in Paju, north of Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, Aug. 20, 2015. South Korea's military fired dozens of shells Thursday at rival North Korea after the North lobbed a single artillery round at a South Korean border town, the South's Defense ministry said. (Kim Seung-doo/Yonhap via AP) KOREA OUT

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  Residents gather at a shelter in Yeoncheon, the South Korean town where the shell fell in South Korea Thursday, Aug. 20, 2015. South Korea's military fired dozens of shells Thursday at rival North Korea after the North lobbed a single artillery round at the South Korean border town, the South's Defense ministry said. (Hong Hae-in/Yonhap via AP) KOREA OUT

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  South Korean residents gather at a shelter in the South Korean town of Yeoncheon where the shell fell Thursday, Aug. 20, 2015. South Korea's military fired dozens of shells Thursday at rival North Korea after the North lobbed a single artillery round at the border town, the South's Defense ministry said. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

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  South Korean residents gather at a shelter in the South Korean town of Yeoncheon where the shell fell Thursday, Aug. 20, 2015. South Korea's military fired dozens of shells Thursday at rival North Korea after the North lobbed a single artillery round at the border town, the South's Defense ministry said. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

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  South Korean residents gather at a shelter in the South Korean town of Yeoncheon where the shell fell Thursday, Aug. 20, 2015. South Korea's military fired dozens of shells Thursday at rival North Korea after the North lobbed a single artillery round at the border town, the South's Defense ministry said. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

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  A South Korean resident watches his mobile phone to read news as people gather at a shelter in the South Korean town of Yeoncheon where the shell fell Thursday, Aug. 20, 2015. South Korea's military fired dozens of shells Thursday at rival North Korea after the North lobbed a single artillery round at the border town, the South's Defense ministry said. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

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  South Korean residents gather at a shelter in the South Korean town of Yeoncheon where the shell fell Thursday, Aug. 20, 2015. South Korea's military fired dozens of shells Thursday at rival North Korea after the North lobbed a single artillery round at the border town, the South's Defense ministry said. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

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  Residents carry emergency goods to a shelter at the South Korean border town of Yeoncheon Thursday, Aug. 20, 2015. South Korea's military fired dozens of shells Thursday at rival North Korea after the North lobbed a single artillery round at Yeoncheon, the South's Defense ministry said. About 80 residents in the town where the shell fell were evacuated to underground bunkers, and authorities urged other residents to evacuate, a Yeoncheon official said. (Hong Hae-in/Yonhap via AP) KOREA OUT

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  A South Korean soldier uses a radio on a military vehicle at the South Korean border town of Yeoncheon, South Korea, Thursday, Aug. 20, 2015. South Korea's military fired dozens of shells Thursday at rival North Korea after the North lobbed a single artillery round at the border town, the South's Defense ministry said. (Hong Hae-in/Yonhap via AP) KOREA OUT

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  People watch a television news program reporting about South Korea's respond to the North with a file video footage at Seoul train station in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, Aug. 20, 2015. South Korea's military fired dozens of shells Thursday at rival North Korea after the North lobbed a single artillery round at a South Korean border town, the South's Defense ministry said. The letters read "South Korean military, respond 155mm shells to the North." (Kim Do-hun/Yonhap via AP) KOREA OUT

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  A man locks a shutter of his shop after an evacuation order is issued to the residents and visitors at the Imjingak Pavilion near the border village of Panmunjom, which has separated the two Koreas since the Korean War, in Paju, north of Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, Aug. 20, 2015. South Korea's military fired dozens of shells Thursday at rival North Korea after the North lobbed a single artillery round at a South Korean border town, the South's Defense ministry said. (Kim Seung-doo/Yonhap via AP) KOREA OUT

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  Residents gather at a shelter in Yeoncheon, the South Korean town where the shell fell in South Korea Thursday, Aug. 20, 2015. South Korea's military fired dozens of shells Thursday at rival North Korea after the North lobbed a single artillery round at the South Korean border town, the South's Defense ministry said. (Hong Hae-in/Yonhap via AP) KOREA OUT

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  South Korean residents gather at a shelter in the South Korean town of Yeoncheon where the shell fell Thursday, Aug. 20, 2015. South Korea's military fired dozens of shells Thursday at rival North Korea after the North lobbed a single artillery round at the border town, the South's Defense ministry said. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

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  South Korean residents gather at a shelter in the South Korean town of Yeoncheon where the shell fell Thursday, Aug. 20, 2015. South Korea's military fired dozens of shells Thursday at rival North Korea after the North lobbed a single artillery round at the border town, the South's Defense ministry said. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

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  South Korean residents gather at a shelter in the South Korean town of Yeoncheon where the shell fell Thursday, Aug. 20, 2015. South Korea's military fired dozens of shells Thursday at rival North Korea after the North lobbed a single artillery round at the border town, the South's Defense ministry said. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

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  A South Korean resident watches his mobile phone to read news as people gather at a shelter in the South Korean town of Yeoncheon where the shell fell Thursday, Aug. 20, 2015. South Korea's military fired dozens of shells Thursday at rival North Korea after the North lobbed a single artillery round at the border town, the South's Defense ministry said. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

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  South Korean residents gather at a shelter in the South Korean town of Yeoncheon where the shell fell Thursday, Aug. 20, 2015. South Korea's military fired dozens of shells Thursday at rival North Korea after the North lobbed a single artillery round at the border town, the South's Defense ministry said. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

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  Residents carry emergency goods to a shelter at the South Korean border town of Yeoncheon Thursday, Aug. 20, 2015. South Korea's military fired dozens of shells Thursday at rival North Korea after the North lobbed a single artillery round at Yeoncheon, the South's Defense ministry said. About 80 residents in the town where the shell fell were evacuated to underground bunkers, and authorities urged other residents to evacuate, a Yeoncheon official said. (Hong Hae-in/Yonhap via AP) KOREA OUT

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  A South Korean soldier uses a radio on a military vehicle at the South Korean border town of Yeoncheon, South Korea, Thursday, Aug. 20, 2015. South Korea's military fired dozens of shells Thursday at rival North Korea after the North lobbed a single artillery round at the border town, the South's Defense ministry said. (Hong Hae-in/Yonhap via AP) KOREA OUT

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  People watch a television news program reporting about South Korea's respond to the North with a file video footage at Seoul train station in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, Aug. 20, 2015. South Korea's military fired dozens of shells Thursday at rival North Korea after the North lobbed a single artillery round at a South Korean border town, the South's Defense ministry said. The letters read "South Korean military, respond 155mm shells to the North." (Kim Do-hun/Yonhap via AP) KOREA OUT

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  A man locks a shutter of his shop after an evacuation order is issued to the residents and visitors at the Imjingak Pavilion near the border village of Panmunjom, which has separated the two Koreas since the Korean War, in Paju, north of Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, Aug. 20, 2015. South Korea's military fired dozens of shells Thursday at rival North Korea after the North lobbed a single artillery round at a South Korean border town, the South's Defense ministry said. (Kim Seung-doo/Yonhap via AP) KOREA OUT

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SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea fired dozens of shells Thursday at rival North Korea after the North lobbed several rounds across the world's most heavily armed border and threatened to take further action unless Seoul ends its loudspeaker broadcasts.

The North was backing up an earlier threat to attack South Korean border loudspeakers that, after a lull of 11 years, have started broadcasting anti-Pyongyang propaganda.

The broadcasts began after South Korea accused the North of planting land mines that maimed two South Korean soldiers earlier this month.

North Korea first fired a single round believed to be from an anti- aircraft gun, which landed at a South Korean border town on Thursday afternoon. About 20 minutes later, several more artillery shells fell on the southern side of the Demilitarized Zone dividing the two Koreas.

South Korea responded with dozens of 155-milimeter artillery rounds, according to South Korean defense officials.

There were no reports of casualties, and North Korea didn't respond militarily to South Korea's artillery barrage. But the North's army later warned in a message that it will take further military action within 48 hours if South Korea doesn't pull down the loudspeakers, according to South Korea's Defense Ministry.

South Korea raised its military readiness to its highest level.

Joint Chiefs of Staff spokesman Jeon Ha-kyu told a televised news conference that South Korea is ready to repel any additional provocation. Defense officials said South Korea will continue loudspeaker broadcasts despite the North Korean threats.

Authoritarian North Korea, which has also restarted its own propaganda broadcasts, is extremely sensitive to any criticism of the government run by leader Kim Jong Un, whose family has ruled since the North was founded in 1948. Pyongyang worries that the broadcasts could weaken Kim's grip on absolute power, analysts say.

2015 The Associated Press

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