S. Korean navy fires at fishing vessel
Source: Agencies |
November 4, 2010, Thursday
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SOUTH Korea's navy fired warning shots to drive away a North Korean fishing boat at a maritime border yesterday, the second incident in six days, jangling nerves in Seoul ahead of next week's G20 summit.
The South Korean capital, about 100 kilometers south of the demilitarized zone dividing the peninsula, is on heightened alert ahead of the summit over concerns Pyongyang may try to create an incident to embarrass its rival.
South Korean President Lee Myung-bak told a news conference in Seoul that he was not expecting any trouble from across the border.
"I don't think the North will try to do anything when leaders of the international community are meeting to discuss the world economy," he said. "I trust the North won't do anything but still we are fully prepared."
North Korea this week dismissed reports it would be a "provocateur," but in the past it has staged incidents around big international events in South Korea.
A military officer said South Korea fired 10 warning shots to force the North Korean vessel to retreat early yesterday after crossing into its waters off the west coast near where one of South Korea's navy vessels was sunk earlier this year.
The officer said the shots were fired after repeated loudspeaker broadcasts were ignored by the boat.
It was not clear why the vessel crossed the Northern Limit Line, the disputed maritime border set unilaterally by the United States-led United Nations command after the 1950-53 Korean War, and why it remained in southern waters for nearly two hours.
It was the first time in seven years that South Korea has fired warning shots to force a fishing boat to retreat.
South Korean authorities have ramped up security for next week's G20 summit with 10,000 participants, including 32 heads of government and leaders of international organizations, expected.
Security forces have been put on high alert, anti-aircraft missiles are at the ready, shipping and air routes are under heightened surveillance and airport screening increased.
But Baek Seung-joo of the Korea Institute of Defence Analyses said North Korea was unlikely to want to escalate any tensions.
"It is one thing to try to inflict damage on the South. Ahead of an international event like this, the North is not going to take the chance of further isolating itself from the international community," he said.
North Korea has in the past used high-profile international events in South Korea to bolster its standing, and analysts have said North Korea's young leader-in-waiting, Kim Jong-un, may seek to burnish his credentials with a hostile act.
Ties between the rival Koreas sank to their lowest level in decades after a South Korean corvette was torpedoed off the west coast in March, killing 46 sailors.
The South Korean capital, about 100 kilometers south of the demilitarized zone dividing the peninsula, is on heightened alert ahead of the summit over concerns Pyongyang may try to create an incident to embarrass its rival.
South Korean President Lee Myung-bak told a news conference in Seoul that he was not expecting any trouble from across the border.
"I don't think the North will try to do anything when leaders of the international community are meeting to discuss the world economy," he said. "I trust the North won't do anything but still we are fully prepared."
North Korea this week dismissed reports it would be a "provocateur," but in the past it has staged incidents around big international events in South Korea.
A military officer said South Korea fired 10 warning shots to force the North Korean vessel to retreat early yesterday after crossing into its waters off the west coast near where one of South Korea's navy vessels was sunk earlier this year.
The officer said the shots were fired after repeated loudspeaker broadcasts were ignored by the boat.
It was not clear why the vessel crossed the Northern Limit Line, the disputed maritime border set unilaterally by the United States-led United Nations command after the 1950-53 Korean War, and why it remained in southern waters for nearly two hours.
It was the first time in seven years that South Korea has fired warning shots to force a fishing boat to retreat.
South Korean authorities have ramped up security for next week's G20 summit with 10,000 participants, including 32 heads of government and leaders of international organizations, expected.
Security forces have been put on high alert, anti-aircraft missiles are at the ready, shipping and air routes are under heightened surveillance and airport screening increased.
But Baek Seung-joo of the Korea Institute of Defence Analyses said North Korea was unlikely to want to escalate any tensions.
"It is one thing to try to inflict damage on the South. Ahead of an international event like this, the North is not going to take the chance of further isolating itself from the international community," he said.
North Korea has in the past used high-profile international events in South Korea to bolster its standing, and analysts have said North Korea's young leader-in-waiting, Kim Jong-un, may seek to burnish his credentials with a hostile act.
Ties between the rival Koreas sank to their lowest level in decades after a South Korean corvette was torpedoed off the west coast in March, killing 46 sailors.
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