Tensions critical as South Korea begins live-fire artillery drill

[News_Editor]

Tensions critical as South Korea begins live-fire artillery drill

2010-12-20 13:25:57 GMT+7 (ICT)

SEOUL/PYONGYANG (BNO NEWS) -- Tensions remained critical on the Korean Peninsula on Monday as South Korea began a live-fire artillery drill near the disputed Yeonpyeong Island, similar to a drill in November which led to a North Korean attack in which several people were killed.

The South Korean Ministry of National Defense said the drill was initially expected to begin on Monday morning but had to be delayed until 2.30 p.m. local time because of fog in the area. Poor weather conditions had already prevented the drill to be carried out on Saturday and Sunday.

Sounds of artillery firing could be heard on Yeonpyeong as the drill began, which is expected to last up to two hours. There was no immediate response from North Korea, which had earlier threatened with a military strike if the drill went ahead.

"The waters off Yonphyong Island, the target of their shelling, are the inviolable territorial waters of the DPRK," North Korean state media said in a statement on Friday, saying the South has not learned from the previous 'provocative' shelling incident.

On November 23, South Korea carried out a similar drill involving live-fire near the South Korean island of Yeonpyeong. North Korea alleged that the shells were being fired into its territory and returned fire in response, killing four people and injuring 16 others on the island.

North Korea, through state media, had repeatedly warned South Korea to stop the planned drill, which it deems to be a serious provocation. "In case they conduct the above-said shelling at last despite the warning served by the KPA in advance, it will deal the second and third unpredictable self-defensive blow at them to protect the inviolable territorial waters of the DPRK as it had declared before the world," the statement said.

North Korea promised the attack would be deadlier than the strike on November 23. "The south Korean group of traitors and the puppet military warmongers had better cogitate about the KPA's warning," it added.

The threats from North Korea has prompted debate in South Korea and also fears that the situation could further escalate into a full-blown war. As a result, most residents on Yeonpyeong Island choose to evacuate to the South Korean mainland before the drill began.

But some people decided to stay behind and were ordered to 'take cover' in underground shelters in case North Korea attacks the island. Residents at four other South Korean islands were also ordered to take shelter and South Korean fighter jets were patrolling the area.

North Korea also appeared to be preparing for a possible military conflict, although North Korea has sent threats in the pasts which it did not carry out. Still, the South Korean 'The Chosun Ilbo' newspaper cited a government source as saying that the North had deployed multiple rocket launchers along its shore north of Yeonpyeong, Baeknyeong and Gangwha islands.

"After making the threat in a message sent Friday, North Korea raised the alert level at artillery divisions on the west coast and deployed the multiple rocket launchers," the government source told The Chosun Ilbo, adding that the North had also made coastal artillery ready to fire and put some fighter jets on the west coast on standby.

And in other related developments on Monday, the United Nations Security Council was unable to agree on a joint statement about the crisis on the Korean Peninsula. The Council had begun its emergency meeting on Friday (local time) and concluded nearly 9 hours later with no result.

China is believed to have been the main obstacle during the UN Security Council emergency meeting as it is North Korea's only major ally.

Tensions between South Korea and North Korea, nations which are officially still at war although an armistice agreement has been signed, are now at its highest level in years and have escalated quickly in wake of two recent North Korean attacks.

On March 26, a torpedo allegedly fired from a North Korean submarine struck the South Korean warship the Cheonan, killing 46 people. The second incident took place on November 23, which resulted in four South Korean fatalities. The South also fired back at the North, killing an unknown number of people.

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