South Korean police have booked 22 people on charges of spreading rumors over the cyber space, some of them reportedly claiming that the 'South first attacked North'. The country's National Security Law prohibits praising or sympathizing with the communist 'North'.

The National Police agency (NPA) which has been tracking web posts since Tuesday's attack by North Korea claimed that several of the detainees sent out text and online messages in pretence of being members from the defense ministry.

According to the NPA, some of the messages also read that due to the heightened situation on the Yellow Sea border, the reserve units were called to duty alongside the regular forces.

Officials stated that some of the detainees were charged with spreading false claims that said, 'the bombardment was fabricated'.

The cyber crime division has reportedly tracked down 48 counts of rumors and misinformation spread over the internet and mobile phones.

We will keep tracking down those who spread false information, while preparing countermeasures on cyber terrorism, an NPA official told Yonhap News Agency.

Meanwhile, an amateur footage claiming to be that of the North's attack on Yeonpyeong Island is doing rounds on the video streaming sites like YouTube. Authorities are yet to confirm the authenticity of the video. The clip which is over a minute long, showed huge fire blazing over the Island. It also showed North Korea's artillery shells flying towards the land mass.

South Korea South Korea