U.S. calls for restraint in Korean peninsula

WASHINGTON, Jan. 27 (Xinhua) -- U.S. officials called Wednesday for restraint in the Korean peninsula, the same day as media reports in Republic of Korea indicated the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) fired artillery into waters of "no sail" zones it declared a day earlier.

Department spokesman P.J. Crowley said the DPRK's declaration of no sail zones and live firing of artillery were "provocative actions and as such as not helpful."

Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell called for restraint, saying although it is a bilateral issue between Pyongyang and Seoul, the United States "want to see everybody exercise restraint as they deal with this issue," and is "discouraging of any further acts of aggression."

Earlier Wednesday, the DPRK fired some 30 artillery shells for more than an hour into waters north of the disputed sea border called Northern Limit Line (NLL), within the range of no-sail zones designated by Pyongyang a day ago. Seoul's Yonhap News Agency reported later the DPRK fired again, hours after the first firing.