In light of South Korea's provoking military drills with the participation of Japan and the US in the Korean Peninsula, Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement on Monday that DPRK fired about 130 artillery shells at 2:59 pm (0559 GMT) from two distinct sites, one on the DPRK's east coast and one on the west coast. 

According to a statement issued by the South's military, some of the shells landed in a "buffer zone" near the sea border in what Seoul said was a violation of a 2018 inter-Korean agreement designed to ease tensions between the two countries.

But none of the shells crossed the Northern Limit Line, which is the de facto maritime border, the statement added. 

"Several warnings" have been issued over the barrage, the statement said, adding that "our military is strengthening its readiness posture in preparation for emergencies while tracking and monitoring related developments under close cooperation between South Korea and the US."

North Korea quickly responded in a statement by claiming the artillery firing was a "tit for tat warning" against the provoking artillery firings by the South.

North Korea says its shelling this afternoon was a "tit for tat" response to South Korean military activity, says KCNA. pic.twitter.com/j9xkzjWkvC

— William Gallo (@GalloVOA) December 5, 2022

According to the statement issued by the General Staff of the Korean People's Army (KPA), "dozens of projectiles supposed to be the shells of multiple rocket launchers" had been fired by South Korea on Monday.

"The KPA General staff makes it clear once again that it will settle accounts with all provocative actions of the enemy one by one and will always counter them with staunch and overwhelming military action."

Read more: DPRK's new ICBM program wrecked US isolation strategy & potential ties

On December 1, DPRK leader Kim Jong Un called for a major political conference before the end of the year, where he is expected to address the country's increasingly tense relations with Washington and Seoul over DPRK's nuclear and missile programs.

During a meeting in Pyongyang on November 30, Kim insisted that the country overcame "unprecedented adversity" in both internal and external circumstances this year to achieve progress in national development and elevate the country's "prestige and honor," according to the Korean Central News Agency.

The Asian nation has increased its missile testing to a record level this year, as Washington and Seoul continue their provocations represented by a myriad of factors, including their joint military drills in the region.