South Korea's rival parties will each hold an emergency meeting Friday to respond to North Korea's firing of artillery shells across the inter-Korean border.
  

On Thursday, the two Koreas engaged in a brief exchange of artillery shells over the western part of their heavily fortified border.
  

Kim Moo-sung, chairman of the ruling Saenuri Party, will chair an emergency meeting of senior party members to discuss how to respond to Pyongyang's provocations.
  

The main opposition New Politics Alliance for Democracy will also hold an emergency meeting that will bring all party members to discuss countermeasures.
  

Separately, Defense Minister Han Min-koo will attend a session of the parliamentary defense committee later in the day to brief ruling and opposition lawmakers about the issue. (Yonhap)