After a naval confrontation between the two Koreas each side has accused the other of "armed provocation" and has demanded the other to make an apology.

"South Korean military authorities should make an apology to the North for the armed provocation and take responsible measures against the recurrence of any future provocation," the military supreme command said on Tuesday.

According to the North Korean Central News Agency, a North military report has said that South Korean warships chased a North Korean boat and opened fire on it while it was sailing back to the North.

It went on to say the North's craft "lost no time in returning a prompt retaliatory blow at the provokers," driving the 'flurried' group of warships of the South Korean forces back into the waters of their side.

In Seoul, Prime Minister Chung Un-Chan responded by accusing the North of making a 'direct attack' on South Korean forces.

The South's military also demanded an apology for the border crossing, claiming the North's boat fired 50 rounds at a South Korean high-speed patrol boat, which had sent warning shots after several warning signals.

"We express our strongest protest to North Korea and urge it to prevent a recurrence of such incidents," said Brigadier-General Lee Ki-Sik of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, saying the North breached the Koreas' disputed Yellow Sea border 22 times this year.

Lee said the two sides exchanged fire for two minutes from a distance of 3,200 meters (3,500 yards), during which 15 rounds hit the South Korean boat. Officials, however, said no South Koreans were hurt while the North's boat was set ablaze under heavy cannon fire and sailed back.

The incident does not seem to spark a serious stand-off, given Pyongyang's relatively mildly-worded statement and its recent reconciliatory moves toward the South, following months of cross-border tensions.

South Korea's President Lee Myung-Bak called an emergency meeting of security ministers on Tuesday, describing the clash as unplanned and urged people to stay calm.

MRS/SC/MMA