N. Korea Crisis - Updated as News come to hand

N. Korea fires artillery towards S. Korean island, official says

english.yonhapnews.co.kr

North Korea on Tuesday fired several rounds of artillery towards South Korean waters and an island near the tense west sea border, the South's military said.

The North's artillery shells fell at 2:34 p.m. in the South's waters off the island of Yeonpyeong, some of them landing directly on the island, said Col. Lee Bung-woo, spokesman at the South's Joint Chiefs of Staff. The South's military responded with its artillery firing.

(visit the link for the full news article)

NKorea doing their dirty business once again. This time they've actually bombed SKorean territory... but nothing was destroyed/no one was killed... and for once SKorea responded...

But probably nothing will come out of it, like always.

I'm sure this is linked to those comments by Japan and SKorea saying that North Korea nuclear program is unacceptable and that they've breached every pledge they made concerning their nuclear program.

They are doing this as a provocation... childish... as always.

UPDATE 2:50 AM Eastern :

A few of the latest news...

- NKorea fires about 200 shells at island
- SKorea fires back with artillery
- About 70 houses on fire
- SKorea deploys F-16s
- China calls for calm
- According to CNN international, SKorea is trying to calm down tensions
- 14 South Korean soldiers hurt, 4 seriously + 4+ civilians injured
- Witness says residents fleeing S.Korean island by fishing boats - YTN
- 1 soldier confirmed dead so far
- SKorea at DEFCON 2
- SKorean presidential aides in bunker

Whole thing could be related to SKorean military exercise

english.yonhapnews.co.kr
(visit the link for the full news article)

UH OH PEOPLE!!!

This seems way more serious!!!

North Korea Fires Rockets at South Korean Island

North Korea fired artillery at South Korea's Yeonpyeong island in the Yellow Sea off the countries' west coast Tuesday afternoon, setting houses on fire. South Korea returned fire, according to residents on the island speaking on South Korea's YTN television network.

HOUSES WERE HIT AND ARE ON FIRE

Is this the start of WW3 or what?

Civilian casualities reported on the SK island!! + 4 South Korean soldiers wounded!!

Uh ho... NOT GOOD AT ALL.

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

Seoul's YTN television quoted a witness as saying 60 to 70 houses were on fire after the shelling.

The military confirmed the exchange of firing, without providing more details.

and the obligitory: "And so it begins..."

hopefully this won't catch fire...but seriously...when is someone going to slap NK once and for all.

Kimmy is going to be out soon...I don't see him leaving without making a bang first off...he has been lusting for conflict for ages now..he may be getting tired of sitting on his hands.

Prepare the nukes!

And they are away! Yay!

Kidding.

What I really want to know right now.... WHAT ARE CHINESE TROOPS DOING?

No movements? Amassing near North Korea's border... or more troops there than usual?

More troops near Taiwan than usual?

What's up?

Battle is apparently still going on... anyone from SKorea can confirm?

The question I have regards provocation or no provocation in this exchange... I can't see NK doing this for no reason but for laughs. What is the reason, was there something the news isn't telling us? I hate media because the story is always jaded, propaganda and one-sided.

There was a very deliberate reason, what provoked NK?

Getting: South Korean fighter jet deployed to west coast island after shelling: report Developing Story on Reuters link.

reply to post by YouAreDreaming


Japan and SKorea saying that NKorea were a bunch of liars and that their nuclear arsenal was unacceptable... They said that yesterday.

Also SKorea were conducting naval exercises today it seems.

A few links..
N.Korea accused of breaking nuclear pledges

N. Korea's nuclear arms programme 'unacceptable': Japan

Is this the start of WW3 or what?

Depends if their dear leader ordered this, if so, there will be more to come after the south's responding to the provocation. If this was just some little rogue general then I doubt it.

Very scary though regardless.......

reply to post by Vitchilo


There should be more information coming out soon. The OP article said the North's shells fell around 2:34 Korea time, and that is around an hour ago, if my world clock on my computer is correct.

The house fires could still be burning and spreading. There still may be shells being fired. Hopefully there will be NO casualties, but it is still too early to tell.

reply to post by Vitchilo


We will just have to see how this unfolds over the next few days, but 40-60 houses will be quite hard to not take action over. It is very provocative indeed. A spark yet again flares up on the Korean Peninsula. The nuclear card has concerned me somewhat since 1998.

reply to post by Vitchilo


Interesting..Will we ever know who fired the first shot?
Usually that point is very vague but it sounds extreme even by NK's standards..

BABA VANGA?

ooooooooooee lawddyy

this isn't good, its very sad that we live in a world where a little conflict can mess the world up.

I'm trying to get into contact with my sister, her and her husband are stationed there and If I get some information I will inform everyone, but right now, things are still a little silent it seems.

Update: Getting worried, my brother in law has been called in, my sister is no longer replying on facebook. Not sure whats going on right now.

This is very serious

Flag this thread

This may turn into a nightmare

reply to post by backinblack


So let's see... What kind of action will take place?

Plausible Act 1
1.) SK seeing this much damage decides it has to hit the artilery location that fired the shots. I would, that is simply justified in such a case.
2.) The escillation begins, NK starts to open up and hits more SK targets.
3.) SK responds tit-for-tat...
4.) Soon war breaks out and we have lots of flags and stars and told you so's in this thread.

Plausible Act 2
1.) SK will go to the UN and complain.
2.) NK won't fire any more shots and give all the excuses and threats as to why it happens.
3.) This thread will fill up with told you so's and maybe not as many flags or stars.

Implausible Act 3
1.) Obama condemns the attack and puts the military on stand-by.
2.) Japan prepares itself for all-out-war with NK.
3.) China gets ready to alter weather patterns for the pending nuclear winds.
4.) SK and NK open full-scale conventional and nuclear war.
5.) Many doom and gloom threads hit ATS every hour.
6.) More told you so's and probably a lot of flags and stars on this thread.
7.) WWIII breaks out and soon nuclear strikes become common news until all the news channels go dead and we all die... the end.

I am thinking act 2 is most likely.

It seems SKorea have re-started the shelling...

Also they deployed warplanes...

If one gets shot down... who knows...


What I would like to know right now... WHERE ARE CHINESE TROOPS/WARPLANES/SHIPS....

Is there more activity than usual?

If yes, China gave the go ahead for this.

This is not good at all,when artillery is fired,there is going to be WAR!! I hope this can be stopped before is escalates any further..

very troublesome news, the early reports suggest more than the usual skirmish. Well done OP for bringing this here so early on, might be an idea to keep a eye on this thread to follow the developments.

...The beginning of WW3. Assasination of some Austrian guy, invasion of lowly Poland, and now bombing some houses. All tiny things that do little to change the international order, yet will go down in history as causing the most brutal wars.

This doesn't look good. S.Korea would be stupid for taking this and allowing N.Korea to get away with it(assuming it was actually their's).