S. Korea to hold drills near bombardment site
4:32 pm - 11/25/2010Defence minister resigns
Last Updated: Thursday, November 25, 2010 | 2:35 PM ET
The Associated Press
South Korea's president ordered more troops to a front-line island and dumped his defence minister Thursday as the country grappled with lapses in its response to a deadly North Korean artillery strike.
In scenes reminiscent of the Korean War 60 years ago, dazed residents of Yeonpyeong Island foraged through blackened rubble for pieces of their lives and lugged their possessions down eerily deserted streets strewn with bent metal after Tuesday's hail of artillery.
The barrage darkened skies, set off fierce blazes, killed four South Koreans and raised fears of an escalation that could lead to full-scale war.
"It was a sea of fire," resident Lee In-ku said, recalling the flames that rolled through the streets of this island that is home to military bases as well as a fishing community famous for its catches of crab. The spit of land is just 11 kilometres from North Korea, but had only six pieces of artillery.
Despite warnings from North Korea that any new provocation would be met with more attacks, Washington and Seoul pushed ahead with plans for military drills starting Sunday involving a nuclear-powered U.S. aircraft carrier in waters south of this week's skirmish.
The exercises will likely anger the North — the regime cited South Korean drills this week as the impetus behind its attack — but the president said the South could little afford to abandon such preparation now.
"We should not ease our sense of crisis in preparation for the possibility of another provocation by North Korea," spokesman Hong Sang-pyo quoted President Lee Myung-bak as saying. "A provocation like this can recur any time."
South Korea's defence minister also tendered his resignation, and CBC reporter Anthony Germain said Kim Tae-young had toured the island just hours before. Kim was criticized following Tuesday's attack by both government and opposition legislators, who demanded his resignation. They also called on military leaders to step down as well.
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao responded by calling on all sides to show "maximum restraint" and pushed again to restart the six-nation talks aimed at persuading North Korea to dismantle its nuclear programs in exchange for aid. Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi, meanwhile, cancelled a trip to Seoul this week.
The heightened inter-Korean animosity is taking place as North Korea undergoes a delicate transition of power from leader Kim Jong-il to his son Kim Jong-un, who is in his late 20s and is expected to eventually succeed his ailing father.
At an emergency meeting in Seoul, Lee ordered reinforcements for about 4,000 troops on tense Yellow Sea islands, top-level weaponry and upgraded rules of engagement that would create a new category of response when civilian areas are targeted.
The barrage darkened skies, set off fierce blazes, killed four South Koreans and raised fears of an escalation that could lead to full-scale war.
"It was a sea of fire," resident Lee In-ku said, recalling the flames that rolled through the streets of this island that is home to military bases as well as a fishing community famous for its catches of crab. The spit of land is just 11 kilometres from North Korea, but had only six pieces of artillery.
Despite warnings from North Korea that any new provocation would be met with more attacks, Washington and Seoul pushed ahead with plans for military drills starting Sunday involving a nuclear-powered U.S. aircraft carrier in waters south of this week's skirmish.
The exercises will likely anger the North — the regime cited South Korean drills this week as the impetus behind its attack — but the president said the South could little afford to abandon such preparation now.
"We should not ease our sense of crisis in preparation for the possibility of another provocation by North Korea," spokesman Hong Sang-pyo quoted President Lee Myung-bak as saying. "A provocation like this can recur any time."
South Korea's defence minister also tendered his resignation, and CBC reporter Anthony Germain said Kim Tae-young had toured the island just hours before. Kim was criticized following Tuesday's attack by both government and opposition legislators, who demanded his resignation. They also called on military leaders to step down as well.
Pressure on China
Meanwhile, Washington and Seoul ratcheted up pressure on China, North Korea's main ally and biggest benefactor, to restrain Pyongyang.Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao responded by calling on all sides to show "maximum restraint" and pushed again to restart the six-nation talks aimed at persuading North Korea to dismantle its nuclear programs in exchange for aid. Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi, meanwhile, cancelled a trip to Seoul this week.
The heightened inter-Korean animosity is taking place as North Korea undergoes a delicate transition of power from leader Kim Jong-il to his son Kim Jong-un, who is in his late 20s and is expected to eventually succeed his ailing father.
At an emergency meeting in Seoul, Lee ordered reinforcements for about 4,000 troops on tense Yellow Sea islands, top-level weaponry and upgraded rules of engagement that would create a new category of response when civilian areas are targeted.
Skirmishes between the Korean militaries are not uncommon, but North Korea's heavy bombardment of Yeonpyeong Island was the first naval skirmish since the Korean War to kill civilians.
South Korean troops returned fire and scrambled fighter jets in response, but two South Korean marines and two construction workers were killed and at least 18 others wounded. South Korea has said casualties on the North Korean side were likely significant, but none were immediately reported by the secretive regime.
One South Korean woman told CBC reporter Germain that there were three shellings that lasted 10 minutes each. Germain said it appears it was 10 to 15 minutes until South Korea fired back, and with less force than North Korea used.
Marine Lt.-Col. Joo Jong-wha acknowledged that the island is acutely short of artillery, saying it has only six pieces: the howitzers used in Tuesday's skirmish.
"In artillery, you're supposed to move on after firing to mask your location so that they don't strike right back at you," he told reporters. "But we have too few artillery."
On the streets of Yeonpyeong, some spoke of walls of flame, surreal images of blackened skies, massive dust clouds, and orange-coloured lightning.
"My town was almost burned out," said Noh Myung-san, 56, who was planting trees near a mountain when he heard artillery explosions. "I thought it was an earthquake."
Islanders walked gingerly over potholes and past electric poles pockmarked by artillery shells. Blackened beer bottles lay outside what was left of a supermarket. Coast guard officers patrolled the streets in pairs, passing deserted restaurants, offices and schools.
Though North Korea regularly threatens to rain munitions down on its rival, the two Koreas are required to abide by an armistice signed in 1953 at the end of their bitter three-year war.
South Korean troops returned fire and scrambled fighter jets in response, but two South Korean marines and two construction workers were killed and at least 18 others wounded. South Korea has said casualties on the North Korean side were likely significant, but none were immediately reported by the secretive regime.
One South Korean woman told CBC reporter Germain that there were three shellings that lasted 10 minutes each. Germain said it appears it was 10 to 15 minutes until South Korea fired back, and with less force than North Korea used.
Marine Lt.-Col. Joo Jong-wha acknowledged that the island is acutely short of artillery, saying it has only six pieces: the howitzers used in Tuesday's skirmish.
"In artillery, you're supposed to move on after firing to mask your location so that they don't strike right back at you," he told reporters. "But we have too few artillery."
On the streets of Yeonpyeong, some spoke of walls of flame, surreal images of blackened skies, massive dust clouds, and orange-coloured lightning.
"My town was almost burned out," said Noh Myung-san, 56, who was planting trees near a mountain when he heard artillery explosions. "I thought it was an earthquake."
Islanders walked gingerly over potholes and past electric poles pockmarked by artillery shells. Blackened beer bottles lay outside what was left of a supermarket. Coast guard officers patrolled the streets in pairs, passing deserted restaurants, offices and schools.
Though North Korea regularly threatens to rain munitions down on its rival, the two Koreas are required to abide by an armistice signed in 1953 at the end of their bitter three-year war.
source
Tags:
- north korea
- south korea
I'd say more but there are typically two comments here so wtf is the point.
I think today is especially slow because it's Thanksgiving?
WHY would you do that?? Especially with the US sending a ship over there. I feel like this is a more serious version of two hotheads sizing each other up before a huge smackdown.
Boy, this is... something.