North Korea shells South Korea

[irishspirit]

SEOUL (AFP) - – North Korea's military threatened Friday to strike back with deadly firepower if South Korea goes ahead with a live-fire drill on a border island which the communist state shelled last month.

The North "will deal the second and third unpredictable self-defensive blow" to protect its territorial waters if the South holds the one-day drill scheduled sometime between Saturday and Tuesday, it said.

"It will be deadlier than what was made on November 23 in terms of the powerfulness and sphere of the strike," said the military statement carried on the North's official news agency.

The bombardment of Yeonpyeong island last month killed two marines and two civilians, injured 18 people and damaged dozens of homes, and came after a firing drill into the sea by South Korean marines based on the island.

The latest warning sharply raised the stakes in the regional crisis, amid diplomatic moves to ease tensions. The news agency said the military's message was delivered earlier Friday to the South. Related article: SKorea drill risks 'chain reaction': US general

The South, outraged at the first shelling of civilian areas since the 1950-53 war, has fortified Yeonpyeong with more troops and artillery and vowed to use air power against any future attack.

Its military has said artillery will be aimed away from the North as usual during the upcoming drill, but it will respond strongly if provoked.

http://sg.news.yahoo.com/afp/2010121...r-2a5be5e.html

[AlkaMyst]

This is some really scary stuff that is just developing to be a very unstable situation....this is serious stuff in my opinion!!!



Original Source, here.

SEOUL (AFP) – North Korea warned that another war with South Korea would involve nuclear weapons, as diplomatic efforts continued to ease high tensions over its deadly artillery attack and atomic ambitions.

Uriminzokkiri, the official website of the communist state, said in a commentary seen Friday that war on the Korean Peninsula is only a matter of time.

"Because of the South Koreans' reckless war policies, it is not about war or peace on the Korean peninsula but when the war will break out," the website said.

"If war breaks out, it will lead to nuclear warfare and not be limited to the Korean peninsula," it said in a posting dated Thursday.

In a separate commentary, ruling party newspaper Rodong Sinmun Friday described the peninsula as the world's most dangerous place.

It reiterated calls for a formal peace treaty with Washington and the withdrawal of 28,500 US troops from South Korea.

"The Korean peninsula remains a region fraught with the greatest danger of war in the world," the paper said. "This is entirely attributable to the US pursuance of the policy of aggression against the DPRK (North Korea)."

The North frequently claims nuclear war is imminent. But military tensions have risen sharply since it bombarded a South Korean border island on November 23, killing two marines and two civilians.

Pyongyang's disclosure last month of an apparently working uranium enrichment plant -- a potential new source of bomb-making material -- also heightened regional security fears.

Prominent US politician Bill Richardson is paying a private visit to Pyongyang to try to ease tensions.

The US envoy to stalled talks on the North's nuclear disarmament, Sung Kim, was to hold talks in Seoul later Friday with his South Korean counterpart Wi Sung-Lac.

[Ahkenaten]

Hi Alka - North Korea has been making stridently militaristic threats for many years as its army faces the South Korean Army along their border eyeball to eyeball. This has been a very lucrative way of basically extorting all kinds of stuff from the Western world. Although it is by no means certain that the rule "pigs do not S^^T in their own pens" would prevail in this situation, i.e. any nuclear action against South Korea by the North would invaribly blow back upon the North in the form of radioactive fallout due to proximity - surely this would be a major concern to China who is a close neighbor. I would expect that China could and would make its presence and interests known should N. Korea get too out of hand - as the recent Wikileaks revealed, North Korea has no reason to be 100% certain that China will stick by it no matter what. Just a thought.

[AlkaMyst]

Hi Alka - North Korea has been making stridently militaristic threats for many years as its army faces the South Korean Army along their border eyeball to eyeball. This has been a very lucrative way of basically extorting all kinds of stuff from the Western world. Although it is by no means certain that the rule "pigs do not S^^T in their own pens" would prevail in this situation, i.e. any nuclear action against South Korea by the North would invaribly blow back upon the North in the form of radioactive fallout due to proximity - surely this would be a major concern to China who is a close neighbor. I would expect that China could and would make its presence and interests known should N. Korea get too out of hand - as the recent Wikileaks revealed, North Korea has no reason to be 100% certain that China will stick by it no matter what. Just a thought.

Thanks for the input Ahkenaten, I completely understand what you're saying and where you coming from....my only concern is that with all the S@#t going on at the present time, which is all come out so fast nothing at this point would surprise me really.

It would be nice if we just didn't have to deal with that headache on top of all the other ones we currently face.

Blessings,
AlkaMyst

[irishspirit]

The North Korean military threatened Friday that it would launch self-defense attacks after South Korean military authorities announced South Korean Marines on Yeonpyeong Island would restart live-fire drills on a day with clear weather between Dec. 18 and 21. Accordingly, concerns about a military clash are heightening.

In a message sent in the name of the head of the North Korean delegation to inter-Korean military talks, North Korea warned that if South Korea pushes ahead with its drills on Yeonpyeong Island despite its advanced warning, North Korea would carry out unpredictable second and third self-defensive strikes to protect its territorial waters. The message warned that the attacks would be more serious in terms of strength and scope than the artillery attack launched on Nov. 23, when North Korea shelled Yeonpyeong Island.

http://english.hani.co.kr/arti/engli...ea/454553.html

[Carmody]

December 21st, an eclipse on the solstice.

An exceedingly powerful day.

Be concerned.

[bluestflame]

get the funny feeling they are using this and other incidents to drive the push for a one world government under guise of getting all countries to call for an end to hostilities that could potentially escalate and spread to and effect other surrounding countries

[irishspirit]

Russia urges S Korea to scrap drill

Russia has asked South Korea to stop a scheduled joint military exercise with the United States, hours after North Korea warned it will strike back if the South proceeds with the drill.

The foreign ministry in Moscow on Friday summoned South Korean and US ambassadors to express its "deep concern" over South Korea's plans to carry out live-fire drills over the weekend.

The ministry in a statement called on Seoul to "refrain from holding the planned firing of artillery in order to prevent the further escalation of tensions on the Korean peninsula".

Russia's intervention follows a warning by North Korea earlier on Friday that it will retaliate if the South holds the drills near the disputed border in the Yellow Sea on Yeonpyeong Island, which the North shelled last month.

The ministry said a similar drill on November 23 had "provoked an exchange of fire ... that caused casualties", echoing North Korea's assertion that its shelling of the island was a response to South Korean artillery fire.

The Russian ministry also said it was "extremely important" to ease tension between the two Koreas, restore dialogue and resolve all disputes without using force.

Russia, a member of the six-party talks on North Korea's nuclear disarmament, hosted the North Korean foreign minister last week in a bid to help the two Koreas negotiate their way out of the escalating dispute.

When Sergei Lavrov, the Russian foreign minister, met with his North Korean counterpart on Monday, he said military exercises had added to tension but also that the North's shelling of the island deserved condemnation, according to the ministry

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/as...214998243.html

[bashi]

It seems the US has smuggled some marines inside the SK troops:

Pyongyang has threatened "disaster" if the South stages the drill on Yeonpyeong, and a foreign ministry statement on Saturday accused US troops -- about 20 of whom who will take part in the drill -- of providing a "human shield".


this will give a perfect excuse, IF the shelling will be returned by NK...

http://www.smh.com.au/world/korea-cr...220-1923t.html

meanwhile the UN is scrambling:

http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news...219-191tb.html

[Rocky_Shorz]

OK light Warriors...

We need the Stormy weather to stay over Korea for 2 more days...

[bennycog]

more show of force from the duelaing nations.. so sad..

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=8185825

South Korea announced that a live-fire artillery exercise would go ahead on Monday on a border island despite strong threats of retaliation from North Korea.

"It will happen today," a defence ministry spokesman told AFP without giving a time.

Local officials on Yeonpyeong island made a similar loudspeaker announcement on Monday morning, an AFP photographer said.

They did not give a time but told residents, reporters, officials and others on the island to be prepared to move to shelters when ordered by the military.

Yonhap news agency, quoting sources, said the drill was expected to be held between 11am and noon local time (1300 and 1400 AEDT).

It said that apart from the military there are about 280 people on the island, which is 12 kilometres from the North Korean coast.

After a similar exercise by marines based on Yeonpyeong on November 23, the North fired about 170 shells on to or around the island, killing four people including civilians and damaging dozens of homes.

It has threatened even deadlier retaliation if the upcoming drill goes ahead. The United Nations Security Council is meeting to try to calm tensions.

Yonhap news agency quoted an unidentified official of Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff as saying the exact time will depend on the weather around the island.

The AFP photographer said there was thick fog around the coast on Monday morning.

The North disputes the Yellow Sea border between the two Koreas drawn by United Nations forces after the 1950-53 Korean War. It claims the waters around Yeonpyeong and other frontline islands as its own maritime territory.

The North says it attacked last month after the South's drill dropped shells into its waters.

Last month's bombardment was the first of civilian areas in the South since the Korean War. It sparked outrage in the South, which rushed more troops and guns to frontline islands.

[jcocks]

Unfortunately this needs to happen. People NEED to learn the lessons that these situations bring. Lets pray that this lesson is learned with the least loss of life as possible.

[bashi]

It is happening right now:

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/...ow/7132525.cms

[bashi]

The 94 minutes drill has ended without response from NK:

http://www.voanews.com/english/news/...112173129.html

http://www.rediff.com/news/slide-sho...r/20101220.htm

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakin...-as-UN-bickers

[HURRITT ENYETO]

North Korea has agreed to permit the return of UN nuclear inspectors as part of a package of measures to ease tensions on the peninsula.



After meeting with Bill Richardson, a veteran negotiator and the governor of New Mexico, the North Koreans have agreed to let inspectors from the UN's International Atomic Energy Agency back into its Yongbyon nuclear facility, according to CNN.

Full story http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worl...rs-return.html

[HURRITT ENYETO]

Thank you everybody for continuing to keep us all informed
And its great news that the live fire exercise today did not escalate.
Only one day left (i think) and hopefully we will get through the Lunar Eclipse without major incident *fingers crossed*

[bennycog]

without response for now bashi..
we all know that the koreans from anyside are relentless in their own idea of patriotism.. but will also want their counterpart to look the worst in any scenerio... the longest and worst game of tennis i have ever seen is between them two nations....
oh sh$t no it's not.. it is happening everywhere.... but who gets the most news coverage..

[bennycog]

on the late night news in oz right now is the threat of north korea retaliating ( the threat of war they say)... on channel 10..
another small chess piece moves across the table guys


http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTOE6BG05Y20101219

(Reuters) - The U.N. Security Council met in emergency session on Sunday to try to cool tensions on the Korean Peninsula, but the five big powers were split on whether to publicly blame North Korea for the crisis.

Pyongyang raised an alert for artillery units along its west coast in what appeared to be its latest move in a growing crisis between the two Koreas, Yonhap news agency said, quoting a South Korean government source. The report was issued ahead of a planned live-fire drill by South Korea.

South Korea's Defense Ministry offered no immediate comment on the Yonhap report. Bad weather has so far delayed the planned firing drill at a disputed border that has enraged Pyongyang.

Both sides have said they will use military means to defend what they say is their territory off the west coast, raising international concern that the standoff could quickly spiral out of control.

The 15 Security Council members were meeting behind closed doors to try to agree on a statement that Russian U.N. Ambassador Vitaly Churkin said he hoped would send a "restraining signal" to both the North and the South.

Western envoys inside the meeting said the five permanent veto-wielding members were split over whether to blame North Korea for the crisis, as the United States, Britain, and France -- along with Japan -- demand, or to urge both sides to avoid acts that could deepen the crisis, as Russia and China want.

The Chinese, North Korea's staunchest supporters on the council, and Russians reject the idea of assigning blame to Pyongyang, the envoys told Reuters on condition of anonymity.

RUSSIA, CHINA SEEK COMPROMISE WITH WEST

The U.S., British and French delegations rejected a Russian draft that called for U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to send an envoy to Seoul and Pyongyang and urged the two sides to exercise "maximum restraint." Russia and China then revised the text to make it more acceptable to the Western powers.

Western diplomats said the latest Russian and Chinese draft statement condemns a November 23 incident in which North Korean artillery shells killed four people in a South Korean village but does not explicitly blame North Korea for the attack.

However, they said it implicitly blames Pyongyang by referring to a statement by U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon the same day, calling the attack "one of the gravest incidents since the end of the Korean War." Ban's statement also made clear North Korea was to blame for the attack.

The new draft is "not perfect but we can probably live with it," one diplomat said. Although the U.S., British, French and Japanese delegations could accept it, South Korea is unhappy with the draft statement because it does not explicitly condemn the North for attacking the South, he said.

Washington has backed Seoul's push to go ahead with the planned live-fire drill on Yeonpyeong island, where four South Koreans were killed in last month's artillery attack.

The drill, within view of the North Korean mainland, is scheduled to take place sometime before Tuesday. U.S. and Chinese officials have described the situation on the Korean Peninsula as "extremely precarious" and a "tinderbox."

Recent Western attempts to get the Security Council to rebuke Pyongyang over the deadly artillery incident and its nuclear program have been blocked by China.

[bashi]

North Korea Says It Will Not Retaliate After South’s Drills:


NK : “The world should properly know who is the true champion of peace and who is the real provocateur of a war”

Wisdom in service of diplomacy...

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/21/wo...c=me&ref=world

[bashi]

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=hdZk5CQpQZA