[HOLY S**T!] Koreas in border artillery clash

[Flawless*]

he BBC's John Sudworth explains how the cross-border clash developed
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South Korea says it has returned fire after North Korea fired dozens of artillery shells at one of its border islands, killing two marines.

The South's military was placed on its highest non-wartime alert after the shells landed on Yeonpyeong island.

The North said it did not fire first in the incident. Two South Korean marines and four civilians were also injured.

Analysts say this is one of the most serious clashes since the Korean War ended without a peace treaty in 1953.

There have been occasional cross-border incidents since, but the latest comes at a time of rising regional tension.

North Korea's reclusive leader Kim Jong-il is thought to be ill and trying to ensure the succession of his youngest son.

On Saturday, North Korea also showed off to an American scientist what it claimed was a new uranium enrichment facility.

The move prompted the US to rule out the resumption of six-party talks on nuclear disarmament that Pyongyang abandoned two years ago.
'Unpardonable'

A spokesman for South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said North Korean shells had started falling in the waters off the island of Yeonpyeong at 1434 local time(0534 GMT).

At least 50 landed directly on the island, most hitting a South Korean military base there.

The South's military immediately fired back some 80 shells in self-defence, Col Lee Bung-woo added.
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Analysis
Jonathan Marcus BBC diplomatic correspondent

Nobody needed any reminder of the volatility of the relations between North and South Korea, nor of the sensitivity of their disputed maritime border. In March, a South Korean warship was sunk by an explosion and an investigation indicated strongly that the North was responsible.

The shelling of Yeonpyeong fits into the same pattern. From the North Korean viewpoint, this is about establishing deterrence over the South and defending its interests. But it is also a wider demonstration to the world of the North's power and an indication of some kind of political transition.

Quite what is going on in Pyongyang is impossible to say. Nonetheless, there are strong indications that Kim Jong-il has designated his son, Kim Jong-un as his successor. This opens up a period of uncertainty and unpredictability and just this kind of incident is exactly what observers most feared.

A resident on the island told the AFP news agency that dozens of houses were damaged by the barrage, while television pictures showed plumes of smoke rising above the island.

"Houses and mountains are on fire and people are evacuating. You can't see very well because of plumes of smoke," a witness on the island told YTN television station. "People are frightened to death."

Local government spokesman Yoon Kwan-seok said the shelling lasted for about an hour and then stopped abruptly.

"The whole of Yeonpyeong island was blacked out following the North Korean attacks," he was quoted as saying by the Yonhap news agency. "All of the island's 1,600-odd residents were evacuated to a shelter."

The South Korean military has also deployed fighter jets to Yeonpyeong, which lies about 3km (1.8 miles) south of the disputed inter-Korean maritime border and 100km (60 miles) west of the Korean Peninsula.

Later, South Korean President Lee Myung-bak warned North Korea that his country would "sternly retaliate against any further provocations".

"North Korea's shelling of Yeonpyeong island constitutes a clear armed provocation. Furthermore, its reckless shelling of civilian targets is unpardonable," his office said in a statement.
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North Korea: Timeline 2010

26 March: South Korean warship, Cheonan, sinks, killing 46 sailors

20 May: Panel says a North Korean torpedo sank the ship; Pyongyang denies involvement

July-September: South Korea and US hold military exercises; US places more sanctions on Pyongyang

29 September: North holds rare party congress seen as part of father-to-son succession move

29 October: Troops from North and South Korea exchange fire across the land border

12 November: North Korea shows US scientist new - undeclared - uranium enrichment facility

* In pictures: Korean shelling
* Brief history of the Korean War

"North Korean authorities must take responsibility."

But North Korea's supreme military command blamed South Korea for the incident.

"The South Korean enemy, despite our repeated warnings, committed reckless military provocations of firing artillery shells into our maritime territory near Yeonpyeong island beginning 1300 (0400 GMT)," the state-run KCNA news agency quoted it as saying.

The North would "continue to make merciless military attacks with no hesitation if the South Korean enemy dares to invade our sea territory by 0.001mm", it warned.

"It is our military's traditional response to quell provocative actions with a merciless thunderbolt."

It did not say whether North Korea suffered any casualties or damage.
'Belligerent action'

A spokesman for the Chinese foreign ministry said that both countries should "do more to contribute to peace".

"What's imperative now is to restart six-party talks as soon as possible," Hong Lei told a news conference in Beijing.

Japan's Prime Minister, Naoto Kan, said he had ordered ministers to prepare for any eventuality.
People arrive in South Korea after fleeing Yeonpyeong island by ferry (23 November 2010) Many residents of Yeonpyeong fled the island by ferry after the bombardment

"I ordered them to make preparations so that we can react firmly, should any unexpected event occur," he said after an emergency cabinet meeting in Tokyo. "I ordered them to do their utmost to gather information."

The White House strongly condemned the attack and called on North Korea to halt its "belligerent action".

The BBC's John Sudworth in Seoul says news of the incident has rattled international financial markets, with both the Korean won and Japanese yen falling.

The Bank of Korea said it would hold an emergency meeting to assess the possible market impact.

This western maritime border, also known as the Northern Limit Line, has been the scene of numerous clashes in the past.

In March, a South Korean warship went down near the border with the loss of 46 lives. International investigators say a North Korean torpedo sank the ship, although Pyongyang has denied any role in the incident.

Since then relations between the two neighbours have remained tense.

[Left Hook Tua]

North korea is such an attention whore.

There will be talks , word will be exchanged , propaganda from both sides , us and the west will get involved , china will get involved......

In the end nothing will hapen.

North koreans can't win a war. Not without china's help. So north korea won't start one.

No one is crazy enough to attack the north. Even if victory is assured , it would be costly especially to the south koreans who have much more to lose.

[Miburo]

*Yawn* Third time they've scrapped over this island in the past 20 years, and not the most serious of the three by a long shot. Enjoy the media pulling your hype strings little puppets.