BREAKING NEWS: North Korea Shells South Korean Island, Civilian Casulties

 North Korea on Tuesday fired dozens of artillery shells at a South Korean island, setting buildings on fire and prompting a return of fire by the South, Seoul’s military and media reports said.

A witness said residents of the island of Yeonpyeong, off the west coast of the peninsula near a disputed maritime border, had been evacuated.

Yonhap news agency said four South Korean soldiers had been wounded in the shelling, the biggest attack in years.

YTN television quoted a witness as saying 60 to 70 houses were on fire after the shelling and TV footage showed plumes of smoke coming from the island. It said a South Korean fighter jet had been deployed to the west coast after the shelling.

“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.

“People are frightened to death and shelling continues as we speak,” the witness said.

www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6AM0YS20101123

Ut oh folks, things could get really serious from this.  Things have been getting worse between the two still warring nations for over a year now.  

UPDATE:  

North Korea on Tuesday fired artillery into the sea near its tense western sea border with South Korea, injuring at least 14 South Korean miltary personnel and two civilians, the Yonhap news agency reported.

Four of the military personnel were seriously injured, Yonhap said.

At least 200 rounds of artillery hit an inhabited South Korean island after the North started firing about 2:30 p.m. local time, Yonhap said.

South Korea’s military responded with 80 rounds of artillery and deployed fighter jets to counter the fire, the report said.

The South Korean army also raised its alert condition, the report said.

www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/asiapcf/11/23/nkorea.skorea.military.fire/?hpt=T1

South Korea’s YTN television said that several houses were on fire and that shells were still falling on the island.  The Korean Broadcasting System (KBS) reported that at least several people had been killed in the attack

-KIM KEUN-SIK, PROFESSOR, KYUNGNAM UNIVERSITY

“This seems to be a highest-level military provocation. On one hand, North Korea has a uranium enrichment card to bring the United States to the negotiation table. On the other hand, by raising tensions in the West Sea, North Korean wants to threaten South Korea.

“I don’t think, (the reason for the artillery shelling) is a simple protest against the South Korean military drill. It must have been beyond that.”

-CHUNG SEUNG-JAE, MARKET ANALYST, MIRAE ASSET SECURITIES

“The news came at a time when market sentiment was already weakened by European debt and Chinese tightening concerns. And combined, stock market will do poorly tomorrow. Artillery firing on residential area was unlike its other acts of aggression. And this is alarming.”

-LEE DONG-BOK, SENIOR ASSOCIATE AT CSIS

“North Korea’s shelling is probably related to its recent revealing of its uranium enrichment program. It is likely that they are making a strong attempt to shake the U.S. and South Korea so that they will make some concessions.”

UPDATE:   At least one South Korean marine reportedly was killed. President Lee Myung-bak ordered officials to make sure that the firing wouldn’t escalate, according to Yonhap, quoting a presidential official. YTN said between 1,200 and 1,300 people live on the island, citing an island resident.  www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hsTlihk0EpAU1vXyMn56ahpcY0NQ?docId=14d374c4d29149149802735827cdda1b

“The whole neighborhood is on fire,” said Na Young-ok, a 46-year-old woman who has lived on the island for 20 years. She was at a bomb shelter when reached by The Wall Street Journal. “I think countless houses are on fire, but no fire truck is coming. We have a fire station but the shots are intermittently coming.”

Ms. Na said a military base on the island was on fire. She said she was with about 50 people in the shelter and her child was in a similar shelter at the school on the island. She didn’t know whether people were injured.  online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703904804575631763523837910.html

Gerry Davies reports that there’s a rumor about the death of North Korean leader Kim Jung Il. This could explain why North Korea attacked South Korea with shells, killing a few people. Kim Jung Il’s heir might want to show that the North is still strong and that there’s a new guy in town by initiating this severe border clash.  www.forexcrunch.com/rumor-kim-jung-il-died-can-explain-north-korean-attack/

UPDATE:  North Korea fired artillery toward its tense western sea border with South Korea on Tuesday, killing at least one South Korean soldier, the Yonhap news agency reported.

Two civilians and 13 other South Korean military personnel were injured, with three of the soldiers seriously hurt, Yonhap said.

A Ministry of Defense spokesman contradicted the Yonhap report, saying that no deaths had been confirmed and that the military was checking on possible civilian casualties.  edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/asiapcf/11/23/nkorea.skorea.military.fire/?hpt=T1  (VIDEO)

UPDATE:  Hours after North Korea’s deadly artillery attacks, South Korea’s president said “enormous retaliation” is needed to stop Pyongyang’s incitement, but international diplomats urgently appealed for restraint.

“The provocation this time can be regarded as an invasion of South Korean territory,” President Lee Myung-bak said at the headquarters of the Joint Chiefs of Staff here, according to South Korea’s Yonhap news agency.

“Given that North Korea maintains an offensive posture, I think the army, the navy and the air force should unite and retaliate against [the North's] provocation with multiple-fold firepower.”  Two South Korean marines were killed and 15 South Korean soldiers and civilians were wounded when the North fired about 100 rounds of artillery at Yeonpyeong Island in the Yellow Sea, South Korea authorities. The attack also set houses and forests on fire on the island. www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/asiapcf/11/23/nkorea.skorea.military.fire/?hpt=T1