The U.S.-led United Nations Command (UNC) proposed staging general-level military talks with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) to discuss Tuesday's exchange fire between South Korea and the DPRK, UNC said in a statement Wednesday.

"UNC has called for general officer-level talks with the Korean People's Army, through their Panmunjom Mission, in order to initiate an exchange of information and de-escalate the situation, " it said.

The call came after South Korea and the DPRK exchanged fires in waters off the west coast of the divided peninsula on Tuesday, during which some shells landed on South Korea's Yeonpyeong Island near the contentious sea border called Northern Limit Line (NLL).

The exchange of fire left at least two South Korean marines killed and 16 others injured, while damages to the DPRK have not to be verified yet.

(Xinhua News Agency November 24, 2010)