NORTH Korean leader Kim Jong Un smiles at a reception for athletes who won gold medals at the recent 17th Asian Games and their coaches in this undated photo released yesterday by Korean Central News Agency.

It appears to give further confirmation of his return to public life after a five-week absence that sparked rumours of a coup.

Meanwhile, North and South Korea exchanged gunfire yesterday when the North's soldiers approached the military border and did not retreat after the South fired warning shots, the South Korean Defence Ministry said. The North's soldiers fired back in an exchange of gunfire that lasted about 10 minutes but the situation did not escalate, a ministry official said.