Posted on 12/19/2010 4:31:39 PM PST by gandalftb
North Korea has deployed multiple rocket launchers along the shore north of Yeonpyeong, Baeknyeong and Gangwha islands in response to a planned South Korean artillery drill on Yeonpyeong, government sources here say. The North earlier threatened an "unpredicted self-defense counterattack" to the drills.
A South Korean government source said, "After making the threat in a message sent Friday, North Korea raised the alert level at artillery divisions on the west coast and deployed the multiple rocket launchers."
The North also reportedly made coastal artillery ready to fire and put some fighter jets on the west coast on standby.
(Excerpt) Read more at english.chosun.com ...
Less than 2 hours flight time from Guam to NK.
Confirmed, live fire.
#ROK media confirm live fire drill underway on Yeonpyeong.
From http://twitter.com/betterthansteve
“KBS reports training began at 230 KST. Reports that US Forces Korea is monitoring situation closely. half a minute ago via web “
What’s everyone’s thought on the supposed Richardson deal? will it keep the north from firing back?
It's over 2000miles. Which heavy bomber in the US inventory can make that dash in under 2 hours?
Even the B-1B only does about 900mph wide open. The B-2 and B-52 are both sub-sonic.
Shelling will last for the next two hours.
Here we go.
#
# Unconfirmed reports of #ROK shelling into Yellow Sea to south of Yeonpyeong island, not east/west like previous drills. 2 minutes ago via Twitter for Android
Firing is now being carried out by the Republic of Korean Marines artillery command on Yeongpyong Island. They are using, among other resources, K-9 155mm self propelled howitzers, in a sea are of 40 kilometers by 20 kilomters.
Farmers in the west end are of the DMZ (non-island areas north and norhwest of Seoul) have been evacked for the period the firing is anticipated.
Just drop a few small tactical nukes on the command and leadership of the North and invade with full force and free those darned people finally! Truman, you blew it!
What's that deal again? The NORKS agree to not attack AND ship all their spent rods out of the country?
I think the supposed deal was the NORKS would ship the rods out IF SK agreed to not hold the exercises.
Richardson should have discussed this with SK first. This does not look good right now. SK MUST go forward with the exercise and the NORKS MUST retaliate.
NK offered up MIA’s, fuel rods, inspectors in, new talks with all parties, are confirming for the first time that they built Stonehenge. What’s not to believe?
Pyongyang, North Korea (CNN) — A top North Korean general offered Sunday to help return the remains of several hundred U.S. troops killed during the Korean War, New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson said.
Maj. Gen. Pak Rim Su told Richardson that the bodies were discovered recently in North Korea.
Richardson, who is meeting with officials in North Korea to help ease tensions in the region, described the offer as a “very positive gesture.”
Any returned remains are “better than nothing,” Korean War Veterans Association President Bill Mac Swain said. But he noted that there were possible pitfalls.
“I’m worried that what we’ll get is a bunch of stuff that we’ll never be able to figure out,” he said.
See more of CNN.com’s special coverage of the Koreas
Investigators are still trying to identify many of the bodies from more than 200 boxes stuffed with remains and personal items that North Korea sent back to the United States between 1990 and 1994, he said.
“The problem is the bones were scattered in boxes. There were all kinds of different things that made it very difficult for them to even determine how many people were in the boxes,” Mac Swain said.
http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/asiapcf/12/19/north.korea.us.bodies/index.html
Military says they’re shelling to the SW of the island.
The only way for the NORKS to save face now is to either attack SK in some fashion...OR, for the Chinese to very publicly “restrain” them in the interest of “peace” and out of “respect for the SK people”.
:(
a) Richardson has no business being a US government negotiator unless specifically and legally charged with that position and diplomatically charged in that specific capacity by the Obama Administration and openly indicated as such, otherwise he is in violation of the Logan Act; and b) since any North Korean deal will not be adhered to, such as if they promised to ship out fuel rods, you know they would keep a certain number in the country or produce at other hidden locations, essentially the so called "deal" is a DEAD DUCK (unless Chris Hill is waiting in the wings to "save" things with his sign pen). I don't think Obama is that suicidal to accept it, such an abject farce so typical of North Korean brinksmanship, crisis-contrived "concessions" at the last moment, these worthless carrots after weeks of sticks...We will still get sticks, either outright sticks, or sticks disguised as carrots.
I also think that if the North Koreans lose face, the unpredictable zombies that they are with a prediliction to do all kinds of crazy things that most rational Western minds would be shocked at, they could well take Richardson, Blitzer and the others hostage in Pyongyang, and state that it is for their own "safety".
South Korean F-15Ks have taken off from Daegu Base and are on high alert station-keeping status, flying the Yellow Sea off North Korea in case of North Korean attack. (Yonhap in Korean a few minutes ago). This was probably a SOP for them in such a tense environment.
RT @W7VOA AP: #ROK says fighter jets launched to deter #DPRK attacks.
From my understanding Bill. R was invited by the Norks, could be wrong .....
Reports that SK fighter jets are on combat air patrol over the islands.
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