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South and North Korea exchange fire as tensions rise with US Marines' exercise South and North Korea exchange fire as tensions rise with US Marines' exercise
(about 4 hours later)
South Korea has returned fire into North Korean waters after shells from a North live-fire drill fell into the rivals' disputed western sea boundary. North and South Korea fired artillery shells into each other's waters on Monday, forcing people on five South Korean islands on the frontline to evacuate their homes.
People living on a front-line South Korean island said they were evacuated to shelters during the exchange. Early on Monday, North Korea announced that it would conduct live-fire drills in seven areas north of the Yellow Sea boundary between the nations.
No shells from either side were fired at any land or military installations, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said. South Korea responded by returning fire after North Korean shells landed in its territorial waters.
Kang Myeong-sung, speaking from Yeonpyeong island, in sight of North Korean territory, said anxious islanders were huddled together in shelters. He said he did not see any fighter jets, but could hear the boom of artillery fire. North Korea fired 500 rounds of artillery shells over more than three hours, around 100 of which fell south of the sea boundary, South Korean Defense Ministry spokesman Kim Min-seok said.
In 2010, North Korean artillery killed four South Koreans on Yeonpyeong. South Korea responded by firing 300 shells into North Korean waters, he said.
The exchange of fire followed Pyongyang's earlier, unusual announcement that it would conduct the live-fire drills, a move seen as an expression of its frustration at making little progress in its recent push to win outside aid. No shells from either side were fired at any land or military installations, but Kim called the North's artillery firing a provocation aimed at testing Seoul's security posture. There was no immediate comment from North Korea.
The North has in recent weeks increased threatening rhetoric and conducted a series of rocket and ballistic missile launches that are considered acts of protest against annual springtime military exercises by Seoul and Washington. The South Korean Defence Ministry said in a statement its military "fired back north of the border in line with ordinary protocol."
Kim Jong-un gives an address during the eighth conference of the ideological officials of the Workers' Party in Pyongyang The North calls the South Korea-US drills a rehearsal for invasion and the allies say they are routine and defensive. The disputed western sea boundary has been the scene of several bloody naval skirmishes between the nations in recent years, including the 2010 artillery attack on Yeonpyeong by the North.
Pyongyang threatened yesterday to conduct a fourth nuclear test at some point, though Seoul said there were no signs of an imminent detonation. Pyongyang said at the time that it was responding to earlier South Korean drills in disputed waters.
After the North's earlier announcement that it would conduct firing drills in seven areas north of the sea boundary, South Korea responded that it would react strongly if provoked. While North Korea routinely test-fires artillery and missiles into the area, it is rare for it to disclose training plans in advance.
Pyongyang routinely test-fires artillery and missiles into the ocean, but it is rare for the country to disclose such training plans in advance. Wee Yong-sub, a deputy spokesman at the South Korean Defence Ministry, said the North Korean message was a "hostile" attempt to heighten tension on the Korean Peninsula. The announcement has been interpreted as an expression of Pyongyang's frustration at making little progress in its recent push to secure international aid.
The poorly-marked western sea boundary has been the scene of several bloody naval skirmishes between the Koreas in recent years. In 2010 North Korea launched artillery strikes on a front-line South Korean island near the boundary, killing four. Pyongyang said it was responding to earlier South Korea's artillery drills that day. In recent weeks, the North has increased threatening rhetoric and conducted a series of rocket and ballistic missile launches that are considered acts of protest against routine springtime military exercises by Seoul and Washington.
Last spring, tension spiked after a near-daily barrage of North Korean threats, including warnings of nuclear strikes against Seoul and Washington, following international criticism of Pyongyang's third nuclear test in February last year. The North has accused the annual South Korea-US drills a rehearsal for invasion, but the allies maintain that they are defensive.
The North has since gradually dialed down its threats and sought improved ties with South Korea in what foreign analysts say is an attempt to lure international investment and aid. There has been no major breakthrough in the North's reported push to win outside aid, however, with Washington and Seoul calling on the North to first take disarmament steps to prove its sincerity about improving ties, analysts say. Despite the incident being comparatively mild in comparison to the long history of tension and violence between the countries, officials in the South Korean capital of Seoul are concerned that North Korean dissatisfaction could spark a repeat of the weeks-long barrage of near-daily war rhetoric last spring.
The North Korean live-fire drills and the country's hints at a nuclear test are meant to express anger and frustration over what the North sees as little improvement in progress in its ties with South Korea and the US, said Lim Eul Chul, a North Korea expert at South Korea's Kyungnam University. Kim Jong-un gives an address during the eighth conference of the ideological officials of the Workers' Party in Pyongyang
Mr Lim said the North might conduct a fourth nuclear test and launch other provocations to try to wrest the outside concessions it wants. Last year’s posturing saw Pyongyang threaten nuclear strikes on Washington and Seoul in response to condemnation of its third nuclear test.
The Korean Peninsula remains in a technical state of war because the 1950-53 Korean War ended with an armistice, not a peace treaty. About 28,500 American troops are deployed in South Korea to deter potential aggression from North Korea. On Sunday, Pyongyang also threatened to conduct a fourth nuclear test, but Seoul says there are no signs of an imminent detonation.
AP Recent threats are an expression of anger and frustration over what the North sees as little improvement in progress in its ties with South Korea and the US, said Lim Eul Chul, a North Korea expert at South Korea's Kyungnam University.
Lim said the North might conduct a fourth nuclear test and launch other provocations to try to wrest the outside concessions it wants.
The Korean Peninsula remains in a technical state of war because the 1950-53 Korean War ended with an armistice, not a peace treaty.
About 28,500 American troops are deployed in South Korea to deter potential aggression from North Korea.
Additional reporting by AP