Top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) Kim Jong Un has ordered the country's frontline combined forces to enter a state of war from 5 p.m. (0830 GMT) Friday, a day after the two Koreas accused each other of shelling the borders.

Kim made the order at an enlarged emergency meeting of the central military commission of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea, according to the official KCNA news agency.

Kim also ordered the frontline forces to be well armed to cope with any possible operations at any time.

At the meeting, political and military countermeasures aiming to smash South Korea's "military provocations" were discussed while the military's combat plan of the frontline command was approved, according to the KCNA.

Commanding officers for the area's military operations have been dispatched to the frontline in order to counter possible reactions from the South in case of operations to destroy the facilities for psychological warfare toward the DPRK if the propaganda broadcasts are not suspended within 48 hours, it said.

The meeting also discussed the issue of mobilizing party and power organs, workers organizations, security organs and other facilities.

The state media stressed again the psychological warfare against the north is a severe military provocation that attempts to undermine the DPRK's ideology and social system which are chosen by its people and guarded by the army.

"Psychological warfare against the DPRK is, in essence, an open act of war against it," it said.

It said the leaflet-scattering operation against the DPRK "has gone beyond a tolerance limit," and anti-DPRK broadcasting using loudspeakers at the border "is still going on day and night".

The report said the South Korean military made "reckless military action" by shelling the DPRK under the excuses of retaliation for the DPRK shelling of the south side, which Pyongyang said was fabricated by Seoul,despite an ultimatum sent Thursday from the General Staff of the Korean People's Army to South Korean Defense Ministry, calling for stopping propaganda broadcasts and removal of related facilities.

South Korea's military on Thursday fired 36 shells with 155 mm in caliber toward the DPRK, which Seoul said had earlier launched artillery into the south side in the western border twice, respectively at 3:53 p.m. (0653 GMT) and 4:12 p.m. (0712 GMT).

The shelling raised the already heightened tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

On Aug. 4, two South Korean soldiers were maimed after the explosion of three wooden-box landmines, which South Korea claimed had been planted by DPRK forces.

In response, South Korea's military resumed propaganda broadcasts with loudspeakers for the first time over the past 11 years in frontline units from Aug. 10, causing threats from the DPRK saying that it would strike the loudspeakers harshly.