N.Korea Deploys Rocket Launchers Along West Coast

Chosun.com ^ | Dec. 20, 2010 09:00 KST | staff

[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.

[Mariner]

I'm thinking SK is placing a bet that there is a leadership crisis in NK and nobody really knows who is in charge.

There are probably 2-3 factions...some want the fight, others may want real reconciliation.

Of course that's a GUESS on my part.

[yield 2 the right]

Saw on Twitter , not alone with CNN cutting away and going to repeat of earlier news reports....I am not able to get CNN-International on the TV, higher priced package and all....

[blam]

"A two-paragraph dispatch by the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) suggested Richardson has failed to meet with the 68-year-old leader amid festering regional tensions."

I'm going to laugh my ass off when NK announces that they've taken Richardson captive and will trade him for 500,000 gallon of gasoline (or something).

[gandalftb]

Hmmmmm, what do ya get for the guy that has it all? Gonna find out who’s naughty or nice, Rich ard son is coming to town.

[AmericanInTokyo]

ギムグァンジン国防長官は20日、延坪島の海上射撃訓練の直前に、国防部庁舎地下の軍事指揮本部を訪問し、"北朝鮮の挑発時に可能なすべての対策を講ずるするようにすること"を指示した。 金長官は同日午前9時から続いて午後1時ごろ、軍事指揮本部からの最終チェックをした後、彼のように指示したと、国防部の関係者が伝えた。 海兵隊ヨンピョン部隊の海上射撃訓練はハンミング合同参謀議長の指揮の下、ヨンピョン指令官が実施したことと知られた。 The above says that Minister of Defense of ROK (South Korea) Kim Gwan Jin today visited underground command center for South Korean Defense Ministry today and gave the order to be on full military alert for any contingency for, he did an inspection of central operations at 9 a.m. and then again at 1 p.m., getting reading for the shelling. The shelling itself is being carried out under the command of joint forces Chief Han Min Gu, instructing the ROK Marines' Yonpyeong Island forces. Source: Chosun Ilbo news

[gandalftb]

Here is a tweet from the island:

"I hear the sound of bombing from outside. Residents, 50 people, including journalists hold my breath waiting for marksmanship training is finished."

And a photo:

http://twitpic.com/3ho3m7

[Mariner]

"The shelling itself is being carried out under the command of joint forces Chief Han Min Gu"

How can the NORKS not respond after all of their bluster? Are they the Paper Tiger in this standoff? Or, are there factions in the North that would refuse orders while they are in the midst of a leadership transition?

[jhpigott]

egalite_twitted via Twitter:

“Artillery drill concludes: Yonhap. It took one hour.”

Oh, Mr. Kim . . . you got anything to say?

[cracker45]

You’re a doofus! Those are NOT F-16s. Go back to your comic books!

[blam]

I was anchored off shore at Quinon, South Vietnam (must have been 1966) when the ROK marines did a suprise amphibious landing there. Very impressive. The VC left the whole region, pronto.

[calex59]

Maybe the north is waiting until everything gets back to normal and people are again out in the open before opening fire. That’s what I would do in their place(well not really, I wouldn’t be threatening the South to begin with, but you know what I mean).

[HollyB]

Ummm - he corrected that a while ago. Please, he’s a respected member here- find some one else to ridicule.

[1COUNTER-MORTER-68]

North Korea just blinked...

[gandalftb]

NK blinked, so far so good.

[blam]

Name calling was un-necessary.

[roses of sharon]

Have you heard why they stopped before the planned 2 hours?

Thanks!

[calex59]

On his last photo he was making a joke. He mistyped F16s in his first photo then corrected it to F15s. He then posted the new photo after receiving ribbing about the typo, making a joke about the F16s.

[gandalftb]

Geez:

NK has just said it would retaliate at time and place of its choosing.

[HollyB]

I have a small feeling that they may do something when unexpected.

[cmsgop]

LOL, I should have known..........