North Korea bombs South Korean island - just less than two hours ago

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poonjoon

Well-Known Member
View attachment 1284342


Dozens of North Korean artillery shells landed on a South Korean border island in the West Sea Tuesday, damaging 60-70 homes, reports said.

South Korean troops fired back, the defense ministry said.

A South Korean official said artillery shells landed on Yeonpyeong Island.

The firing came amid North Korea's claim that it has a new uranium enrichment facility. ​

http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2010/11/120_76805.html


The count is up to 200 bombs now (up from 50 a few minutes ago):

http://news.nate.com/view/20101123n15141?mid=n0204
 
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poonjoon

Well-Known Member
Here we go. Finally up on Western media outlets:

SEOUL—North Korea fired artillery at South Korea's Yeonpyeong island in the Yellow Sea off the countries' west coast Tuesday afternoon, setting houses on fire. South Korea returned fire, according to residents on the island speaking on South Korea's YTN television network.

A spokesman for South Korea's joint chief of staff confirmed the exchange but didn't have details except to say "scores of rounds" were fired by the North.


The artillery—more than 50 rounds, according to island residents speaking on YTN—was fired from positions south of the North Korean city of Haeju.


The attack started at 2:34 p.m. local time, according to residents who were speaking on the TV network. There were no immediate reports of injuries.


About 1,200 people live on the island, which is 10 kilometers south of the tip of North Korea's south coast.


The attack is the second by North Korea this year against South Korea in the maritime border area of the Yellow Sea. In March, a North Korean submarine torpedoed and sank a South Korean warship near an island about 40 miles west of the island that was hit Tuesday.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703904804575631763523837910.html?mod=wsj_share_twitter
 
ANC

ANC

Well-Known Member
And you wondered why obama went to india with a fleet of battleshipsd and carrier decks that could handle a small war?
 
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poonjoon

Well-Known Member
SEOUL (Reuters) – North Korea on Tuesday fired dozens of artillery shells at a South Korean island, setting buildings on fire and prompting a return of fire by the South, Seoul's military and media reports said.

A witness said residents of the island of Yeonpyeong, off the west coast of the peninsula near a disputed maritime border, had been evacuated.

Yonhap news agency said four South Korean soldiers had been wounded in the shelling, the biggest attack in years.


YTN television quoted a witness as saying 60 to 70 houses were on fire after the shelling and TV footage showed plumes of smoke coming from the island. It said a South Korean fighter jet had been deployed to the west coast after the shelling.

"Houses and mountains are on fire and people are evacuating. You can't see very well because of plumes of smoke," a witness on the island told YTN.

"People are frightened to death and shelling continues as we speak," the witness said.

News of the exchange of fire sent the won tumbling in offshore markets with the 1-month won down in NDF trading.

The impact was felt internationally, with U.S. 10-year Treasury futures rising and the Japanese yen falling.

South Korea's military confirmed the exchange of firing, without providing more details.

The attack comes just as a U.S. envoy is travelling to the region after revelations that the North is moving ahead with uranium enrichment, a possible second path to manufacture material for atomic weapons.


http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20101123/india_nm/india530928


i see jets flying around..not a lot but i guess everyones on alert
 
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poonjoon

Well-Known Member
South Korea has issued its highest non-wartime alert in response.


Correspondents say this is one of the most serious incidents between the two since the Korean War in the 1950s.


Top leaders are meeting in an underground bunker in Seoul over the incident, Reuters news agency reported.

"Houses and mountains are on fire and people are evacuating. You can't see very well because of plumes of smoke," a witness on the island told YTN television station.


"People are frightened to death and shelling continues as we speak," the witness said.

South Korea had deployed fighter jets to the island, Yonhap news agency said.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-11818005
 
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poonjoon

Well-Known Member
China urges peace and talk after North Korea shells South
BEIJING (Reuters) – China expressed worry about reports that North Korea had shelled a South Korean island on Tuesday in the latest escalation of tensions on the Korean peninsula that neighbors the world's second-biggest economy.

A spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, Hong Lei, told a news conference both sides of the divided Korean peninsula should "do more to contribute to peace," and said it was imperative to return to six-party talks aimed at ending North Korea's nuclear weapons program.

"We have heard reports and express our concern. The situation still needs to be confirmed," said Hong, responding to a question about the North Korean artillery attack.

"China hopes that the relevant parties will do more to contribute to peace and stability in the region," he added.

"It is imperative now to resume the six-party talks."

China is North Korea's only major ally, and its economic and diplomatic support have been important to shoring up its otherwise isolated neighbor, whose leader Kim Jong-il visited China twice this year to strengthen ties.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20101123/ts_nm/us_korea_china_shelling
 
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