The following is the second summary of major stories moved by Yonhap News Agency on Friday. ----------------- (2nd LD) N. Korea fires some 200 artillery shells off western coast: S. Korean military SEOUL -- North Korea fired some 200 artillery shells into waters off its western coast Friday morning, Seoul's military said, in its latest saber-rattling after it scrapped a 2018 inter-Korean military accord in November. The move prompted an emergency evacuation order for civilians on the South Korean western border islands of Yeonpyeong and Baengnyeong. Also in response, the South Korean military staged live-fire artillery drills. ----------------- (LEAD) Seoul shares down for 3rd day on dampened hopes for Fed's early rate cuts SEOUL -- Seoul shares ended lower for a third straight day Friday, after robust employment data weighed on expectations for an early rate cut by the Federal Reserve this year. The Korean won fell against the U.S. dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) fell 8.94 points, or 0.35 percent, to close at 2,578.08. The KOSPI has fallen 2.9 percent this week. ----------------- Outgoing FM Park highlights alliance with U.S. in phone talks with Blinken SEOUL -- Outgoing Foreign Minister Park Jin highlighted the alliance with the United States that has further strengthened over the past months in phone talks with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Friday, Park's office said. Park said the South Korea-U.S. alliance will play a "greater role" at a time of a "polycrisis," expressing expectation that Blinken will also work closely with his new South Korean counterpart to develop the strategic bilateral alliance even further, his office said. ----------------- (LEAD) N. Korea rebuilds destroyed guard posts inside DMZ with concrete SEOUL -- North Korea appears to be rebuilding all of its destroyed guard posts inside the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) separating the two Koreas with concrete structures, a military source said Friday. Last November, the North began rebuild ing the guard posts with wooden material after scrapping a 2018 inter-Korean military agreement designed to reduce tensions along the border, according to Seoul's defense officials. ----------------- S. Korea urges Russia to stop 'self-contradictory' arms deal with N. Korea SEOUL -- South Korea renewed its call Friday for Russia to stop arms transactions with North Korea in violation of international sanctions it has voted for, as the United States revealed the North's delivery of ballistic missiles and other equipment to Moscow. The White House said Thursday (local time) the North recently provided Russia with several dozen ballistic missiles and ballistic missile launchers, some of which Moscow used in its latest attacks on Ukraine as early as Tuesday. Source: Yonhap News Agency