WobbleSock
11-23-2010, 05:21 AM
High alert as North Korea fires on South
Two South Korean marines were killed on Tuesday when North Korea shelled a border island, the military said.
Announcing the deaths, General Lee Hong-Ki also told a briefing that five marines were seriously hurt in the artillery barrage and 10 suffered minor injuries, while three civilians were hurt.
South Korea's YTN television says two civilians were injured by the shelling on Yeonpyeong island.
North Korea fired dozens of artillery shells onto the South Korean island, triggering an exchange of fire as southern armed forces went on their highest state of alert.
In what appeared to be one of the most serious border incidents since the 1950-53 war, South Korea's government convened in an underground war room and air force jets were reportedly scrambled to the Yellow Sea island.
The firing came after North Korea's disclosure of an apparently operational uranium enrichment program - a second potential way of building a nuclear bomb - which is causing serious alarm for the United States and its allies.
About 50 North Korean shells landed on the South Korean border island of Yeonpyeong near the tense Yellow Sea border, damaging dozens of houses and sending plumes of thick smoke into the air, YTN television reported.
"A North Korean artillery unit staged an illegal firing provocation at 2.34pm local time (1634 AEDT) and South Korean troops fired back immediately in self-defence," a South Korean ministry spokesman told AFP.
"A Class-A military alert issued for battle situations has been imposed immediately," the spokesman said.
One island resident, Lee Jong-Sik, told YTN: "At least 10 houses are burning. I can't see clearly for the smoke. The hillsides are also on fire.
"We were told by loudspeakers to flee our homes."
Yeonpyeong lies just south of the border declared by United Nations forces after the inconclusive war six decades ago but north of the sea border declared by Pyongyang.
The Yellow Sea border was the scene of deadly naval clashes in 1999, 2002 and last November.
Tensions have been acute since the sinking of a South Korean warship in March, which Seoul says was the result of a North Korean torpedo attack. Pyongyang has angrily rejected the charge.
In late October, North and South Korean troops exchanged fire across their Cold War border, coinciding with a state of high alert for the South's military in the buildup to the G20 summit of world leaders in Seoul earlier this month.
South Korean President Lee Myung-bak convened an emergency security meeting in response to the latest incident, a presidential spokesman said.
"He is now in an underground war room to discuss possible responses with ministers of related agencies and national security advisers," the spokesman told AFP.
Lee urged the officials to "handle it (the situation) well to prevent further escalation", the spokesman said.
The firing comes after Kim Jong-un, the little-known youngest son of leader Kim Jong-il, was officially recognised as No.2 in North Korea's political system, clouding outsiders' view of its military and nuclear intentions.
The new crisis erupted as a US special envoy headed to China on Tuesday to seek its help in curbing North Korea's new nuclear project, revealed to US experts who described a sophisticated program to enrich uranium.
Stephen Bosworth has also visited South Korea and Japan this week to discuss the disclosure, which US officials say would allow the isolated North to build new atomic bombs.
Bosworth, speaking in Tokyo, ruled out a resumption of stalled six-nation talks - aimed at disarming the North of nuclear weaponry in return for aid and other concessions - while work continues on the enrichment program.
China chairs the talks and is also the North's sole major ally and economic prop. It has come under pressure to play a leading role in resolving the latest nuclear dispute.
China appealed for the six-party talks to resume after the new revelations, and expressed concern over Tuesday's cross-border firing.
"We have taken note of the relevant report and we express concern over the situation," foreign ministry spokesman Hong Lei told reporters.
"We hope the relevant parties do more to contribute to peace and stability on the Korean peninsula," he said. Russia also warned against an escalation of tensions on the peninsula.
Link to article below:
High alert as North Korea fires on South - Yahoo!7 (http://au.news.yahoo.com/a/-/newshome/8376687/north-korea-shells-hit-south-korea-island/)
It looks like some really serious sh*t is going down on the Peninsula. Lets hope that they do something to stop that idiot sitting in Pyongyang while his people starve.
South Korea was "Conducting Drills" before North Korea fired
South Korea says it was conducting regular military drills off the west coast before North Korea started firing dozens of shells, but that its firing exercises did not aim to the North.
"We were conducting usual military drills and our test shots were aimed toward the west, not the north," a South Korean military official said.
On Tuesday afternoon North Korea launched an artillery barrage on a South Korean island in one of the most serious clashes since the end of the Korean War nearly 60 years ago.
Two South Korean soldiers died, while more than a dozen others have been wounded and a number of houses caught fire.
North Korea said Seoul had initiated the firing of shells, prompting it to take instant military action.
"Despite our repeated warnings, South Korea fired dozens of shells... and we've taken strong military action immediately," the North's official KCNA news agency said in a brief statement.
Media reports say about 50 North Korean artillery shells slammed into the island of Yeonpyeong, about 3km south of the Yellow Sea border and 120km west of Seoul.
Residents were forced to flee as the shells hit homes and set them ablaze.
Defence minister Kim Tae-Young says the South fired 80 shots in response during an exchange that lasted for about an hour.
Seoul has raised its alert to the highest level and the security cabinet has met in an underground bunker.
South Korean F-16 fighter planes have also been scrambled to the island.
The Yellow Sea border has been the site of several exchanges of fire, with naval clashes claiming a number of lives.
Today's exchange was the most serious between the two Koreas in years and comes days after the North announced it had a new uranium enrichment facility.
The incident has drawn international condemnation.
Two South Korean marines were killed on Tuesday when North Korea shelled a border island, the military said.
Announcing the deaths, General Lee Hong-Ki also told a briefing that five marines were seriously hurt in the artillery barrage and 10 suffered minor injuries, while three civilians were hurt.
South Korea's YTN television says two civilians were injured by the shelling on Yeonpyeong island.
North Korea fired dozens of artillery shells onto the South Korean island, triggering an exchange of fire as southern armed forces went on their highest state of alert.
In what appeared to be one of the most serious border incidents since the 1950-53 war, South Korea's government convened in an underground war room and air force jets were reportedly scrambled to the Yellow Sea island.
The firing came after North Korea's disclosure of an apparently operational uranium enrichment program - a second potential way of building a nuclear bomb - which is causing serious alarm for the United States and its allies.
About 50 North Korean shells landed on the South Korean border island of Yeonpyeong near the tense Yellow Sea border, damaging dozens of houses and sending plumes of thick smoke into the air, YTN television reported.
"A North Korean artillery unit staged an illegal firing provocation at 2.34pm local time (1634 AEDT) and South Korean troops fired back immediately in self-defence," a South Korean ministry spokesman told AFP.
"A Class-A military alert issued for battle situations has been imposed immediately," the spokesman said.
One island resident, Lee Jong-Sik, told YTN: "At least 10 houses are burning. I can't see clearly for the smoke. The hillsides are also on fire.
"We were told by loudspeakers to flee our homes."
Yeonpyeong lies just south of the border declared by United Nations forces after the inconclusive war six decades ago but north of the sea border declared by Pyongyang.
The Yellow Sea border was the scene of deadly naval clashes in 1999, 2002 and last November.
Tensions have been acute since the sinking of a South Korean warship in March, which Seoul says was the result of a North Korean torpedo attack. Pyongyang has angrily rejected the charge.
In late October, North and South Korean troops exchanged fire across their Cold War border, coinciding with a state of high alert for the South's military in the buildup to the G20 summit of world leaders in Seoul earlier this month.
South Korean President Lee Myung-bak convened an emergency security meeting in response to the latest incident, a presidential spokesman said.
"He is now in an underground war room to discuss possible responses with ministers of related agencies and national security advisers," the spokesman told AFP.
Lee urged the officials to "handle it (the situation) well to prevent further escalation", the spokesman said.
The firing comes after Kim Jong-un, the little-known youngest son of leader Kim Jong-il, was officially recognised as No.2 in North Korea's political system, clouding outsiders' view of its military and nuclear intentions.
The new crisis erupted as a US special envoy headed to China on Tuesday to seek its help in curbing North Korea's new nuclear project, revealed to US experts who described a sophisticated program to enrich uranium.
Stephen Bosworth has also visited South Korea and Japan this week to discuss the disclosure, which US officials say would allow the isolated North to build new atomic bombs.
Bosworth, speaking in Tokyo, ruled out a resumption of stalled six-nation talks - aimed at disarming the North of nuclear weaponry in return for aid and other concessions - while work continues on the enrichment program.
China chairs the talks and is also the North's sole major ally and economic prop. It has come under pressure to play a leading role in resolving the latest nuclear dispute.
China appealed for the six-party talks to resume after the new revelations, and expressed concern over Tuesday's cross-border firing.
"We have taken note of the relevant report and we express concern over the situation," foreign ministry spokesman Hong Lei told reporters.
"We hope the relevant parties do more to contribute to peace and stability on the Korean peninsula," he said. Russia also warned against an escalation of tensions on the peninsula.
Link to article below:
High alert as North Korea fires on South - Yahoo!7 (http://au.news.yahoo.com/a/-/newshome/8376687/north-korea-shells-hit-south-korea-island/)
It looks like some really serious sh*t is going down on the Peninsula. Lets hope that they do something to stop that idiot sitting in Pyongyang while his people starve.
South Korea was "Conducting Drills" before North Korea fired
South Korea says it was conducting regular military drills off the west coast before North Korea started firing dozens of shells, but that its firing exercises did not aim to the North.
"We were conducting usual military drills and our test shots were aimed toward the west, not the north," a South Korean military official said.
On Tuesday afternoon North Korea launched an artillery barrage on a South Korean island in one of the most serious clashes since the end of the Korean War nearly 60 years ago.
Two South Korean soldiers died, while more than a dozen others have been wounded and a number of houses caught fire.
North Korea said Seoul had initiated the firing of shells, prompting it to take instant military action.
"Despite our repeated warnings, South Korea fired dozens of shells... and we've taken strong military action immediately," the North's official KCNA news agency said in a brief statement.
Media reports say about 50 North Korean artillery shells slammed into the island of Yeonpyeong, about 3km south of the Yellow Sea border and 120km west of Seoul.
Residents were forced to flee as the shells hit homes and set them ablaze.
Defence minister Kim Tae-Young says the South fired 80 shots in response during an exchange that lasted for about an hour.
Seoul has raised its alert to the highest level and the security cabinet has met in an underground bunker.
South Korean F-16 fighter planes have also been scrambled to the island.
The Yellow Sea border has been the site of several exchanges of fire, with naval clashes claiming a number of lives.
Today's exchange was the most serious between the two Koreas in years and comes days after the North announced it had a new uranium enrichment facility.
The incident has drawn international condemnation.