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Wednesday, November 24, 2010 – Daily News – 7A Tensions high as North, South Korea trade shelling INCHEON, South Korea (AP) — North and South Korea exchanged artillery fire Tuesday along their disputed frontier, rais- ing tensions between the rivals to their highest level in more than a decade. The communist nation warned of more military strikes if the South encroaches on the maritime border by ‘‘even 0.001 millimeter.’’ The skirmish began when North Korea warned the South to halt military drills near their sea border, according to South Korean officials. When Seoul refused and began firing artillery into disputed waters — but away from the North Korean shore — the North retaliated by shelling the small island of Yeon- pyeong, which houses South Korean military installations and a small civilian population. Seoul responded by unleashing its own barrage from K-9 155mm self-pro- pelled howitzers and scram- bling fighter jets. Two South Korean marines were killed in the shelling that also injured 15 troops and three civilians. Officials in Seoul said there could be considerable North Korean casualties. The confrontation lasted about an hour and left the uneasiest of calms, with each side threatening fur- ther bombardments. North Korea’s apparent progress in its nuclear weapons program and its preparations for handing power to a new generation have plunged relations on the heavily militarized peninsula to new lows in recent weeks. South Korea’s military was put on high alert after the shelling — one of the rivals’ most dramatic con- frontations since an armistice halted the Korean War in 1953 and one of the few to put civilians at risk. ‘‘I thought I would die,’’ said Lee Chun-ok, 54, an islander who said she was watching TV in her home when the shelling began. Suddenly, a wall and door collapsed. ‘‘I was really, really terri- fied,’’ she told The Associ- ated Press after being evac- uated to the port city of Incheon, west of Seoul, ‘‘and I’m still terrified.’’ The attacks focused global attention on the tiny island and sent stock prices down worldwide. The dol- lar and gold rose as investors sought safe places to park money. Hong Kong’s main stock index sank 2.7 percent, while European indexes fell between 1.7 and 2.5 per- cent. The Dow Jones indus- trial average lost 142 points, or 1.3 percent. South Korean President Lee Myung-bak, who con- vened an emergency securi- ty meeting shortly after the initial bombardment, said an ‘‘indiscriminate attack on civilians can never be tolerated.’’ ‘‘Enormous retaliation should be made to the extent that (North Korea) cannot make provocations again,’’ he said. The United States, which has more than 28,000 troops stationed in South Korea, condemned the attack. The White House said President Barack Obama was ‘‘outraged’’ by 220 Antelope Blvd. (530) 527-6164 Thanksgiving Day Buffet Open $ $1699 adults 1 per age for kids under 5 799 for kids $ Thanksgiving Day 11am-6pm • Pineapple Sauce for the Ham • Seasonal Vegetables • Spinach Salad • Slice of Pie Price includes Beverage (non alcoholic) (Apple, Pumpkin, Pecan, or Cherry) • Sparkling Cider SHOP LOCAL.... • Sweet Potatoes or Yams • Giblet Gravy • Turkey • Ham • Wings • Mash Potatoes • Stuffing North Korea’s actions. Top national security aides planned to meet later Tuesday to discuss the situ- ation. The White House said it would work with its international partners to determine the appropriate next steps. Gen. Walter Sharp, com- mander of U.S. forces in South Korea and the U.S.- led U.N. Command, said in a Facebook posting that the U.S. military is ‘‘closely monitoring the situation and exchanging information with our (South Korean) allies as we always do.’’ China, the North’s eco- nomic and political bene- factor, which also maintains close commercial ties to the South, appealed for both sides to remain calm and ‘‘to do more to contribute to peace and stability on the peninsula,’’ Foreign Min- istry spokesman Hong Lei said. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon condemned North Korea’s artillery attack, calling it ‘‘one of the gravest incidents since the end of the Korean War,’’ his spokesman Martin Nesirky said. Ban called for ‘‘imme- diate restraint’’ and insisted ‘‘any differences should be resolved by peaceful means and dialogue,’’ the spokesman said. The clash ‘‘brings us one step closer to the brink of war,’’ said Peter Beck, a research fellow with the Council on Foreign Rela- tions, ‘‘because I don’t think the North would seek war by intention, but war by accident, something spiral- ing out of control has always been my fear.’’ South Korea holds mili- ★★ ★ tary exercises like Tues- day’s off the west coast about every three months, and they typically provoke an angry response from North Korea, but Tuesday’s confrontation was far from typical. Skirmishes flare up along the disputed border from time to time, but this clash follows months in which tensions have steadi- ly risen to their worst levels since the late 1980s, when a confessed agent for North Korea bombed a South Korean jetliner, killing all 115 people aboard. 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In March, North Korea was blamed for launching a torpedo that sank the South Korean warship Cheonan while on routine patrol, killing 46 sailors. South Korea called it the worst military attack on the coun- try since the war. Pyongyang denied respon- sibility. South Korea did not retaliate for the sinking of the Cheonan. Six weeks ago, North Korean leader Kim Jong Il anointed his youngest son, Kim Jong Un, heir appar- ent. This week, Pyongyang claimed it has a new urani- um enrichment facility, rais- ing concerns about its pur- suit of atomic weapons. South Korea faces an uphill struggle if it wants the U.N. Security Council to condemn North Korea for the attack or to impose a third round of sanctions. While Seoul can count on strong support from the U.S. and other Western powers on the council, it is likely to face opposition from China, a veto-wielding member. China agreed to two rounds of sanctions against Pyongyang after its nuclear tests in 2006 and 2009, and Seoul wanted the U.N.’s most powerful body to con- demn North Korea for the Cheonan sinking. But North Korea warned that its mili- tary forces would respond if the council questioned or condemned the country over the sinking, and China opposed condemnation or a third round of sanctions. Yeonpyeong lies a mere seven miles (11 kilometers) from — and within sight of — the North Korean main- land. Famous for its crab- bing industry, it is home to about 1,700 civilians as well as South Korean military installations. There are about 30 other small islands nearby. North Korea fired dozens of rounds of artillery in three separate barrages that began in midafternoon, while South Korea returned fire with about 80 rounds, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said.