More than 100 North Korean shells out of 500 or so fired landed in South Korean waters, prompting marines from the South to fire back with more than 300 rounds in the North's waters, defense officials in Seoul said.
Seoul also scrambled F-15s on its side of the maritime border, they said.
The North Koreans didn't kill anybody or even strike land. This is progress.
It may be that North Korea truly fears that a direct attack on South Korea would trigger a major South Korean military response that would humiliate the North Korean military.
Although Neptune has promised to bring the issue to the UN Security Council.
UPDATE: North Korea may believe South Korea will take no more:
The absence of human fatalities is welcome news. So is the South's tit-for-tat firepower display.
For the last two years South Korean leaders have been telling the current northern dynast, Kim Jong Un, that South Korea will no longer bleed and bear it.
Economic aid now depends on demonstrated North Korean good behavior. Violent provocations by North Korea, whether at sea, on land or in the air, will draw forceful and convincingly violent southern responses.
It could be that after a spectacular run, Pyongyang's production of Dead South Koreans Theater is coming to an end. South Korea will fight if attacked.
Although North Korea may believe that a new successful nuclear test will allow them to revive this pageant.
