DPRK claims southern provocation in naval incident

Of course, probably nothing new here. This BBC article, quoting the KCNA, conveys a North Korean assertion that its ships were on a "routine patrol" and that only the actions of its commanders prevented a bloody encounter.
To follow up Lauren's post, it seems that this kind of incident is nothing new, as similar encounters in years past have actually resulted in shots fired and people killed. I think North Korea is testing the limits of "how far it can go," like it does around the negotiating table.