North Korea threatens retaliation for South Korea's shelling near Yonphyong Island.

North Korea's official news agency KCNA reported on June 26 that North Korea strongly condemned South Korea's shelling near its border and declared that the Korean People's Army (KPA) was ready to retaliate.

The KPA's Southwest Front Command issued a statement saying that "warmongers" of the South Korean military had shelled North Korean waters around Yonphyong Island "without warning."

A South Korean artillery drill. (Photo: Reuters)

The statement called the incident a "reckless provocation" and said that the South Korean military had repeatedly shelled Paekryong, Yonphyong, Taechong, and other islands, and escalated tensions at the hotspot by intercepting North Korean fishing vessels.

According to the statement, all KPA assault teams on the Southwestern Front were ready for fierce attacks and "were only awaiting orders from the Supreme Command."

According to VNA