韩国国防部说，北韩星期一向它的西海岸外的海域发射炮弹。
目前还不清楚北韩发射了多少枚炮弹，以及炮弹落点离韩国有争议的黄海边界有多近。
一天后，北韩军队和美国领导的联合国军司令部的上校级军官将在非军事区会谈，为举行一次将军级会谈铺路。预计，双方的将军将讨论日益升级的紧张局势。
另一方面，韩国星期一要求北韩释放在星期天扣押的渔船和船上七名船员。
韩国统一部发言人千海成星期一告诉记者，平壤没有向首尔方面发出任何有关渔民的信息。
South Korea's Defense Ministry says North Korea fired artillery into the waters off its west coast Monday.
It is not clear how many artillery shells the North fired or how close they were to the disputed Yellow Sea border with South Korea.
The incident comes a day before colonels from North Korea and the U.S.-led U.N. Command are to hold talks in the Demilitarized Zone to clear the way for a meeting between generals, who are expected to discuss rising tensions.
In another development Monday, South Korea demanded that North Korea release a 7-man fishing boat crew and their vessel, seized on Sunday.
Unification Ministry spokesman Chun Hae-sung told reporters Pyongyang has not sent Seoul any information about the fishermen.
