Thread: NORTH, SOUTH KOREA EXCHANGE FIRE ACROSS DISPUTED SEA BORDER

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NORTH, SOUTH KOREA EXCHANGE FIRE ACROSS DISPUTED SEA BORDER

North, South Korea exchange fire across disputed western sea border, Seoul says

Published March 31, 2014FoxNews.com

South Korean Marines fired artillery shells across a disputed sea border Monday after North Korean shells from a live fire drill conducted by Pyongyang fell into the water south of the frontier, Seoul officials told the Associated Press.

No shells from either side were fired at any land or military installations, an official with South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said. He provided no other details and spoke on condition of anonymity because of office rules.

The exchange of fire followed Pyongyang's earlier, unusual announcement that it would conduct the drills, a move seen as an expression of Pyongyang's frustration at making little progress in its recent push to win outside aid.

The North in recent weeks has increased threatening rhetoric and conducted a series of rocket and ballistic missile launches that are considered acts of protest against annual ongoing springtime military exercises by Seoul and Washington. The North calls the South Korea-U.S. drills a rehearsal for invasion; the allies say they're routine and defensive.

Pyongyang threatened Sunday to conduct a fourth nuclear test at some point, though Seoul says there are no signs of an imminent detonation.
After the North's earlier announcement Monday that it would conduct firing drills in seven areas north of the sea boundary, South Korea responded that it would strongly react if provoked.

Pyongyang routinely test-fires artillery and missiles into the ocean, but it's rare for the country to disclose such training plans in advance. Wee Yong-sub, a deputy spokesman at the South Korean Defense Ministry, said the North Korean message was a "hostile" attempt to heighten tension on the Korean Peninsula.

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.

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 of last year. 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.

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 U.S., 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.

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2014/03...th-korea-says/

North and South Korea Fire Shells Into Each Other's Waters

SEOUL, South Korea — South Korea fired artillery shells into North Korean waters Monday in response to North Korean shells from a live-fire drill that fell in waters south of the rivals' disputed western sea boundary.

No North Korean shells hit any land or military installations, an official with South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said. He said that Seoul responded with artillery fire. He gave no details and spoke on condition of anonymity because of office rules.

The exchange of fire followed Pyongyang's earlier, unusual announcement that it would conduct the drills, a move seen as an expression of Pyongyang's frustration at making little progress in its recent push to win outside aid.

Pyongyang also threatened to conduct a fourth nuclear test, though Seoul said it is not imminent.

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/no...-waters-n67541

Realtime Coverage

North, South Korea trade fire across sea border USA TODAY - ‎29 minutes ago‎ SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea on Monday returned fire into North Korean waters after shells from a North Korean live-fire drill fell south of the rivals' disputed western sea boundary, a South Korean military official said. No shells from either side ... KCRA Sacramento Telegraph.co.uk Yahoo News Aljazeera.com SBS The Independent Channel News Asia Forbes SBS www.worldbulletin.net Channel News Asia Voice of America Sydney Morning Herald Sydney Morning Herald The Malay Mail Online The Wire The Chosun Ilbo Aljazeera.com Mirror.co.uk Newstalk ZB North And South Korea Exchange Live Fire KL.FM 96.7 - ‎4 minutes ago‎ North, South Korea trade fire across sea border Hometownlife.com - ‎5 minutes ago‎ S. Korea fires shells into N. Korean waters after drills Dallas Morning News - ‎6 minutes ago‎ N. Korea vows 'new form' of nuke test Longview News-Journal - ‎18 minutes ago‎ North and South Korea Fire Shells Into Each Other's Waters NBCNews.com - ‎23 minutes ago‎ Show recently hidden articles In Depth North Korea stages live-fire military drill prompts South to return fire Telegraph.co.uk - ‎9 minutes ago‎ North Korea has announced a live-fire drill near its disputed maritime border with South Korea, further ratcheting up tensions a day after threatening a "new form" of nuclear test. The South's Yonhap news agency, citing an unnamed government official, said ... North and South Korea exchange artillery fire Sydney Morning Herald - ‎28 minutes ago‎ North and South Korea traded artillery fire across their disputed maritime border on Monday. The South's military said it had responded to shells landing in its waters from a North live-fire drill. "Some of the shells fired by North Korea dropped in our area and ... North Korea vows not to rule out 'new form' of nuclear test The Japan Times - ‎59 minutes ago‎ SEOUL – North Korea on Sunday vowed not to rule out a “new form” of nuclear test after the U.N. Security Council condemned its latest ballistic missile launch amid simmering tensions over Seoul's joint military drills with Washington. Pyongyang has carried ... North Korea, South Korea Trade Fire Near Disputed Sea Border Huffington Post - ‎30 minutes ago‎ A man watches a television news program reporting about North Korea's plan to conduct live-fire drills, at a Seoul train station in Seoul, South Korea, Monday, March 31, 2014. South Korea said North Korea has announced plans to conduct live-fire drills near ... N Korea announces live-fire drill, driving up tensions Channel News Asia - ‎52 minutes ago‎ North Korea announced a live-fire drill Monday near its disputed maritime border with South Korea, further ratcheting up tensions a day after threatening a "new form" of nuclear test. PHOTOS. File photo: North Korean soldiers ride in vehicles during a military ... Your preferred source North Korea Stages Firing Drills, Warns on Nuclear Test Wall Street Journal - ‎1 hour ago‎ The North's recent wording about its nuclear strategy also suggests it may be gearing up for more regular tests, says Jeffrey Lewis, director of the East Asia nonproliferation program at the Monterey Institute of International Studies in California. Late last week ... From South Korea N. Korea conducts live-fire drill in western sea Yonhap News - ‎20 minutes ago‎ SEOUL, March 31 (Yonhap) -- North Korea began a live-fire drill near the tensely guarded western border on Monday, hours after notifying the South of its planned drills in a rare move by the communist state, the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said. The North fired ... S. Korea says no imminent sign of N. Korea's nuclear test Yonhap News - ‎20 minutes ago‎ SEOUL, March 31 (Yonhap) -- South Korea said Monday that there is no indication that North Korea's possible nuclear test is imminent, a day after Pyongyang threatened to carry out a "new form" of nuclear test. The North issued the latest threat on Sunday in ... South Korea condemns North Korean threats but sees no imminent signs of ... Arirang News - ‎1 hour ago‎ South Korea has condemned North Korea for its latest threats of a fourth nuclear test, saying the regime will face severe consequences for its actions. In a statement, Seoul's foreign ministry warned North Korea to keep in mind that it will pay the price if it ... North Korea to conduct live-fire drills near western maritime border Arirang News - ‎1 hour ago‎ Amid its renewed threats, North Korea has notified South Korea that it will carry out a live-fire drill on Monday near the disputed inter-Korean maritime border. Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff says the North sent a fax to the South Korean navy this morning, ... See all 236 articles »

Timeline of articles Number of sources covering this story North Korea stages live-fire military drill prompts South to return fire Telegraph.co.uk - 9 minutes ago N.Korea Threatens Another Nuclear Test The Chosun Ilbo - 4 hours ago N. Korea vows not to rule out a new nuclear test Ahram Online - 21 hours ago

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