10.11.2009
North Korean military command demanded an apology from Seoul for naval incident occurred among ships of two countries in Yellow Sea on Nov 10. That was said by AFP referring to Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).
According to unnamed N Korean military leader, warship of South Korean Navy raised a provocation by pursuing North Korean patrol boat and firing on it near the border. Pyongyang insists on the fact that its boat did not violate the border but simply checked the presence of unidentified object in its territorial waters.
Meanwhile, Seoul considers it would be DPRK to apologize for the incident as it was definitely North Korean boat that opened fire on S Korean vessel.
Analysts interviewed by
AFP noted quite restraint manner of both countries' statements despite recrimination. According to
Yonhap news agency, South Korean Prime Minister Chung Un-chan defined the case as accidental occurrence; the president Lee Myung-bak convened an emergency session of the country's Security Council appealing to give weighted estimate of the incident occurred.
The conflict between combat ships of two Koreas happened at 11.30 am local time approx. As they say in Seoul, N Korean boat violated disputable "north border line" then the S Korean boat approached it. According to South Korean military command, before DPRK boat crossed the border, S Korean crew made several cautionary shots airward.
Right after that the skirmish began which lasted about two minutes. As per Seoul, N Korean mariners made about 15 shots on the opponent's vessel. There were three shots in return after what North Korean boat inflamed and had to return home.
It is reported about zero died and injured among South Koreans. Losses of DPRK are unknown.
That naval skirmish between two countries has become third after those happened in 1999 and 2002. As a result of the latter, six South Korean sailors died and several were wounded.
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