thanksgiving+assignment

Crisis on the Korean Peninsula  =North Korea Perspective = [|North Korean Statement from State-Run News]

= = =North Korea Issues Warning as Artillery Fire Rattles Island = = NY Times =

media type="custom" key="7652445" =N. Korea warns of 'shower of fire' over artillery clash = = The Korea Herald (South Korea) =

media type="custom" key="7652449"

North Korea warned the US in a statement made on Thursday that its plans for military exercises in conjunction with South Korea will push the Korean peninsula “closer to the brink of war.” Last Tuesday (November 23, 2010) four South Koreans were killed when North Korea fired at the civilian island of Yeonpyeong, South Korea, on the disputed border. At least 18 people were injured and many homes were destroyed. Lee Mying-bak, South Korea’s president, fired the defense minister for not being prepared for attack when it was so probable that one would occur. The South Korean President himself has also received domestic criticism for not responding harshly enough to North Korea. North Korea denies starting the conflict, stating that it was simply retaliating to provocation by South Korea. The American aircraft carrier USS George Washington is heading to South Korea, where the American Navy will start four days of military training exercises on Sunday in order to emphasize the strength of the South Korean-American alliance. This, of course, did not go over well with North Korea, and their state-run news agency called America & South Korea “the US imperialists and South Korean puppet war-like forces” who had created a “reckless plan of those trigger-happy elements to stage again the war exercises targeted against the DPRK.” North Korea’s belligerent statement continued on and threw countless threats at both South Korea and the United States. Only time will tell if this crisis will continue the way it is going and evolve into a full-fledged war, which will also probably involve North Korea’s traditional ally, China.