Nov. 10 (Bloomberg) -- A North Korean naval ship was badly damaged in an exchange of fire with a South Korean vessel off the country’s west coast, Yonhap News reported, citing a government official in Seoul it didn’t identify.

The clash occurred at 11:28 a.m. local time today after the North Korean ship crossed the sea border and ignored a warning shot, the news agency reported. The South Korean navy fired first and the North’s ship shot back, it said.

There were no South Korean casualties and the North’s ship has since returned, the Korean-language report said.

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff couldn’t confirm the report when called by Bloomberg News.

North Korea doesn’t recognize the maritime border off the Korean peninsula’s west coast, which led to naval skirmishes in 1999 and 2002. The two nations remain divided after the 1950-53 Korean War ended in a cease fire, and have never signed a peace treaty.

To contact the reporter on this story: Bomi Lim in Seoul at blim30@bloomberg.net

Last Updated: November 9, 2009 22:37 EST