Troops in South Korea have mistakenly opened fire on an Asiana operated passenger jet, in the belief it was a North Korean aircraft.

A total of 99 rifle rounds were fired at the passenger jet, all of which failed to hit the target.

Carrying 119 people, the aircraft was out of range of soldiers on Gyodong Island.

There were no reports of any injuries following the incident on Friday.

The plane was entering its descent on a journey from the Chinese city of Chengdu to Seoul’s Incheon International Airport.

Two marine guards fired K-2 rifles at the civilian flight, according to South Korea’s Yonhap news agency.

“The firing continued about ten minutes but the plane was too far off the rifle’s range and it did not receive any damage,” Yonhap quoted an unnamed Marine Corps official as saying.