(VOVworld) - South Korea has lowered the high level war alert it had issued for its forces stationed at the border following the recent reduction in dangerously-escalated tensions with the North. According to South Korean military sources, personnel on the frontline would, however, remain on a higher-than-normal state of readiness.

South Korean soldiers ride a military truck on the road leading to the truce village of Panmunjom in the border city of Paju on August 24, 2015. (Photo: AFP)

North Korea’s army had also made the same move with its frontline artillery units, returning them to their normal state.

Inter-Korean tensions bubbled over last week following a brief exchange of fire at the heavily guarded border last Thursday.

According to reports, the crossfire was triggered when South Korea fired a barrage of artillery rounds into North, which had shot several shells across the border to protest at anti-Pyongyang propaganda broadcasts by Seoul.