At Least Two Killed, 16 Wounded as North, South Korea Exchange Artillery Fire
'Considerable' North Korean Casualties Also Claimed
Tensions are dramatically on the rise again today after an exchange of fire between North and South Korea. The North Koreans shelled the island of Yeonpyeong during South Korean military drills which were carried out along the disputed sea border.
The attacks apparently hit Yeonpyeong because of the large military installations there, and two South Korean marines were said to be killed, as well as some 16 others wounded. South Korea responded with what it is calling “intense retaliatory fire,” which they claimed caused a “considerable” number of casualties in the North. The secretive North has yet to confirm any casualties on their side, however.
The Obama Administration vowed to defend South Korea at any cost, and the 28,000 US troops still deployed along the border between the two nations are in a very precarious situation indeed as the situation seems to be escalating.
The clash comes in the wake of South Korean Defense Minister Kim Tae-young announcing that his country was considering asking the US to deploy nuclear weapons on their soil. All such weapons had previously been withdrawn in 1991. With North Korea having advanced its own nuclear weapons arsenal in recent years and the two sides now on the verge of a shooting war (technically the resumption of the previous war, as the two sides never signed a peace deal to end it), the nuclear weapons will likely only enhance tensions.
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Henry_Clemens
November 23rd, 2010 at 12:17 pm
Well, well, well, isn't it interesting how this international crisis came along just in time to divert the American people's attention away from the nation's airports? It is the airports, of course, where our fascist Federal government and its TSA goon squads are now forcing the American people to submit to radioactive naked body scans and the sexual groping of their genitals. Be warned, I believe that in order to divert the American people's attention away from the nation's continuing and deepening economic disaster, our fascist Federal government will very soon order the bombing of Iran.
andy
November 23rd, 2010 at 12:17 pm
Why should we defend South Korea? Canada and Mexico don't.
Pendulum
November 23rd, 2010 at 4:24 pm
S Korea is one of the few places in the east to still allow US troops on their land. It is part of their containment of China and Russia, in return the US allows their crappy cars to be sold over here at a discount.
keith
November 23rd, 2010 at 6:43 pm
With all the fear mongering out there, I'm convinced that cooler heads will prevail. China is a major bulwark against any sort of escalation. The US wont do anything because of china and North Korea wont do anything because of china. This has no choice BUT to calm, however with that being said it is little skirmishes like these that cause major disasters like WW1. But don't let the fear mongers pull your coat. North Korea is not as crazy as they are portrayed.