North Korea fired dozens of artillery shells onto a South Korean island on Tuesday, killing one person, setting homes ablaze and triggering an exchange of fire as the South’s military went on top alert.
In what appeared to be one of the most serious border incidents since the 1950-53 war, South Korean troops fired back with cannon, the government convened in an underground war room and “multiple” air force jets scrambled.
The firing came after North Korea’s disclosure of an apparently operational uranium enrichment programme — a second potential way of building a nuclear bomb — which is causing serious alarm for the United States and its allies.
BOHICA! Let us pray that this was theatre for the internal politics of the North rather than an opening salvo in a resumed war.
Artillery? Back when I was there you became accustomed to the everyday small arms fire that whizzed by. But artillery? People forget that Seoul is just a hope, skip and jump from the 38th. Someone on the North side must be nervous about something, sending a message or trying to divert attention, either internally or externally.
They’ve especially never liked how the armistace played out in those waters.
I thought we were going to change the failed Bush policy and solve this problem by diplomatic means.