The New York Times: SEOUL, South Korea — The South Korean military went to “crisis status” on Tuesday and threatened military strikes after the North fired dozens of shells at a South Korean island, killing two of the South’s soldiers and setting off an exchange of fire in one of the most serious clashes between the two sides in decades.
President Lee Myung-bak met with security-related ministers and senior aides in the underground situation room at the Blue House, the presidential office and residence, and ordered strikes on North Korea’s missile base if the North made any “indication of further provocation,” The Korea Herald quoted a presidential spokesman, Hong Sang-pyo, as saying.
The North blamed the South for starting the exchange; the South acknowledged firing test shots in the area but denied that any had fallen in the North’s territory. It was in the same area that a South Korean naval vessel, the Cheonan, was sunk in March, killing 46 sailors. Seoul blamed a North Korean torpedo attack; the North has denied any role.
The United States, Britain and Japan on Tuesday condemned the latest attack. The United States called on North Korea to “halt its belligerent action.” American officials tracking the episode said that a total of 175 artillery shells were exchanged by the two sides.
The South Korean Defense Ministry said that in addition to the two soldiers who were killed, 15 soldiers and 3 civilians were wounded. Television footage showed large plumes of black smoke spiraling from the island, and news reports said dozens of houses were on fire. The South put its fighter planes on alert but they did not take off. [MORE]
Man this could get very ugly really quick. North Korea is looking to transition power from Kim Jong Il to his son, so these crazy shows of strength will no doubt continue. I suspect that North Korea is turning these shows of strength up a notch, because they know America is in no shape financial or politically to do much about it.
Via: Memeoranudm
Via: The New York Times
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5 comments:
It's also funny how often South Korea condemns the north for provocations [such as shooting into the south from the border, or blowing up a gosh damn ship] yet the South Korean government doesn't really do anything. The naval incident really went no where, although everyone knows North Korea blew the whole thing up.
The North Korean nut job dictator had learnt: as long as you shoot and kill a few South Koreans once in a while, or a whole ship full of them, the south, the UN, and even USA might whine, but none of them will do a darn thing.
Such is the sorry-ass state South Korea, and the rest of the world, is in.
2nd Anony
truman should have allowed MacArthur take his troops into N. Korea as he wanted to instead of firing him. that is one of the problems of fighting a war with no intention of winning it.
it astounds me that such an itty bitty tiny place can be such a thorn
This is insanity and it needs to stop. Where is China in all of this? Where is the outrage from the U.S. about this?
They sunk a sub and nothing happened, they attack again and nothing happens. In their defense, why should they stop if they get away with this time after time after time.
I kepp wondering what Reagan would do if he were president, this would surely have ended by now.
Just Me........D.C. is also an itty bitty tiny place which also can be a huge thorn in the American hide.
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