N. Korea Shells South Korean Island, Killing Troops
23 November 2010
This picture taken by a South Korean tourist shows huge plumes of smoke rising from Yeonpyeong island in the disputed waters of the Yellow Sea on November 23, 2010. North Korea fired dozens of artillery shells onto a South Korean island, setting of an exchange of fire.
The shelling prompted South Korea to scramble fighter jets. It set off the highest peace-time alert level here, sending top government leaders into an underground war room for emergency talks.
South Korea's government calls the act a clear military provocation and unpardonable.
Presidential press secretary Hong Sang-pyo says Pyongyang must take responsibility. Additional provocations by North Korea will compel South Korea's military to forcefully retaliate, he says.
Army General Lee Hong-Ki terms the attack an inhumane atrocity. The general says the shelling clearly violates the United Nations armistice.
In Pyongyang, the evening TV newscast put the blame on South Korea, saying North Korea only fired after it repeatedly warned South Korea to halt military maneuvers on the island.
The announcer, quoting a North Korean Army statement, warns if South Korea intrudes into its territorial waters "even 0.001 millimeters" its forces will not hesitate to continue taking "merciless military counter-actions."
The United States, which has 25,000 troops in South Korea, condemned the attack, saying that North Korea must halt belligerent action and abide by the 1953 armistice.
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2013-11-27
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2013-11-27