SEOUL (AFP) – North Korea fired dozens of artillery shells onto a South Korean island on Tuesday, killing one person, setting homes ablaze and triggering an exchange of fire as the South’s military went on top alert.
In what appeared to be one of the most serious border incidents since the 1950-53 war, South Korean troops fired back with cannon, the government convened in an underground war room and “multiple” air force jets scrambled. The firing came after North Korea’s disclosure of an apparently operational uranium enrichment programme — a second potential way of building a nuclear bomb — which is causing serious alarm for the United States and its allies.
Some 50 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. One South Korean marine — part of a contingent based permanently on the frontline island — was killed and 13 other marines were wounded, the military said. YTN said two civilians were also hurt.
“A Class-A military alert issued for battle situations was imposed immediately after shelling began,” a military spokesman said. he shelling began at 2:34 pm (0534 GMT) after the North sent several messages protesting about South Korean naval, air force and army training exercises being staged close to the border, a presidential spokesman said.
“Flashes along with a thunderous sound were seen here and there across our villages and up to 10 houses were engulfed in flames,” said Woo Soo-Woo, 62, a guesthouse owner on the island. The shooting started bushfires at several places in the hills, he told AFP by phone after fleeing the island by ferry for the mainland port of Incheon.
“Frightened villagers rushed to nearby shelters while others were busy running away and crowded the port to escape,” Woo said, adding about 1,500-1,700 civilians live on the island.
Hopefully, this is just an example of the boy king getting the keys to the family car for the first time.
Kim Yung’Un
#16
Let me correct you. There is no “pure” democracy in the world.
The only thing that North Korea understands is force. Well that and Korean.
#19 – McCullough, so let’s get them out of harm’s way.
If I see a couple fighting, do I stick myself in-between to keep them from hitting each other? Yet, that’s exactly what our foreign policy has been since world war 1.
Cursor_said:
“it will have to be smoothed over by the Chinese and the US.”
HAR! HAR! HAR!
Understand this CLEARLY. The problem isn’t North Korea, nor South Korea.
The problem is CHINA. CHINA kept Korea from being unified. CHINA continues to bolster North Korea with money, food, and manpower.
Who do you think built that brand new state of the art uranium facility? Who keeps North Korea in business? Who could stop this mess and force unification tomorrow?
CHINA.
North Korea today is the result of a proxy war between the United States and CHINA. This proxy war is ongoing.
Get with the program. The greatest threat to world peace today is CHINA.
A lot of people claim they know what will happen. I’m not. The guy running the North is a nut job.
China is an expanding power and we are in serious decline because we have gotten ourselves tied down in too many places and we have put policies in place that are economic suicide.
After we finish imploding about all we can do is what the Russians did. Bring out navy home and park it.
A clash of some sort is clearly a probability.
great… with any luck ww3 will happen in my lifetime :-\
This attack was Obama’s fault, plain & simple. Can’t wait to see how Hannity, Beck, & Limbaugh try to make it so.
China has the luxury of playing chess. They can plan policy for decades. In the US we don’t have that luxury. We are forced to shoot craps every two years. The troops in the South are a time bomb. The assets aren’t there to stop an all out attack from the North, which is practically one large military base. This would be old school war, not smart bombs. It would be a repeat of 1950.
Okay, if North Korea want nukes, why don’t we just give them a few? We can send a few via intercontinental basaltic missiles. Take about 30 minuets to get there. Eat your heart out FedEx and UPS! :p
#21
It is a pure republic. That is what happens when there are too many people for a democracy to handle.
They may have democratic principles but that doesn’t make a democracy any more than having some socialist ideas (like the US has) makes it a socialist nation. Not even in percentages.
Democracy looks great on paper. Sounds magnificent in oration. But it always devolves to a republic when you have too many people asking for too many things to vote on. All people would have time for is voting and not living their lives.
Just because people say the word democracy over and over doesn’t mean it is one. I could say I am purple skinned with pink polka dots over and over but it won’t make me have that skin.
Cursor_
Agree the issue is China. North Korea and Taiwan will be the next big issue.
Today’s top issue is America likes to suck on the oil tit from Saudi Arabia. ALL of the middle east issues, terrorism, etc comes from this.
Tomorrow, the issue is China – a result of American companies empowering China with technology and manufacturing, thanks to Republicans.
Some day the American sheeple will realize the bargain shit from Walmart not only costs them jobs today, it will cost us another war tomorrow.
Thank you Dallas, I mostly agree with your comment above except for the pretty stupid “thanks to Republicans part”. A little insanity goes a long way, doesn’t it?
Here is the truth:
“President Clinton will close years of political and economic debate Tuesday and seal a major achievement of his administration by signing off on normalized trade with China.”
Yes, this mess started with Clinton and is continuing with Obama.
“But critics argued that such an agreement would reward a repressive communist state, undermine the country’s labor and environmental protections and cost jobs for U.S. workers.”
Yup, exactly what happened.
“Clinton argued that bringing China into the global trade regime will help make Beijing a more responsible and accountable member of the world community.”
HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR.
http://articles.cnn.com/2000-10-10/politics/clinton.pntr_1_wto-membership-china-global-trade-regime?_s=PM:ALLPOLITICS
16, Cursor,
I’m not disagreeing with what you say, but you miss the bigger point by turning this into a Poli Sci 101 discussion.
It doesn’t matter that virtually every government in the world is some form of an oligarchy.
What matters is China doesn’t want Korea to be reunited so that the Chinese people sees what happens when a country takes on a “democratic” posture. Forced sterilization and abortions would be more heavily challenged. Religion (of all kinds) and classical Chinese philosophy are not compatible with “communism”.
China is ruled by a number of families. Those who challenge that are persecuted. Don’t kid yourself.
17, Bobbo,
South Korea and whatever troops we have over there would need to hold off the North Koreans for up to 48 hours. After that, we have reinforcements (Army & Air Force) there from stateside. North Korea is the kind of country where if you give them an inch, then they take a mile. Diplomacy is a sign of weakness and they only play that game to extort more things from their saber rattling.
You only need to look at the current administration rather than trying to use a telescope.
24, Ah Yea, The problem is CHINA. CHINA kept Korea from being unified. CHINA continues to bolster North Korea with money, food, and manpower.
The United States probably provides the most humanitarian aid to North Korea and to a lesser extent South Korea. The difference is we think we’re doing some good but in actuality our aid goes there to mostly feed the North Korean troops instead of the civilian population which starves.
25, Deowll,
27, ggore,
What you can say is North Korea’s behavior is cyclic. Although you don’t know when they’ll rattle their saber next, the ulterior motives are almost always the same. China’s interest in maintaining two Koreas is pretty consistent. The only unknown I see is if things get hot and heavy will be if the Chinese hurt us economically instead of militarily.
Blaming the cause on Obama is about as stupid as blaming it on Bush. The only blame you can put on any one leader is how they handle the situation. Do you appease the bully or do you show some backbone?
31, Dallas,
The U.S. has as much oil, but the environuts don’t want us drilling (albeit it is more expensive to extract here).
The blame largely lies with the tax policies. If you want to bring jobs back to the U.S.A, then stop penalizing corporations. A friendlier tax policy would not only bring back U.S. companies but foreign companies looking for tax shelters.
The sheeple are the victims of a government-run education system. Go figure.
May the HOLY fallout bless the people of NK this holiday season.
As always, Dallas has the most relebant opinion… NOT!