North Korean shelling a warning, not an attack, says Seoul
South Korean military spokesman says shells fired into disputed waters were not an all out attack attempt by the North but merely warning shots
North Korea’s artillery shelling near a South Korean warship patrolling disputed waters on Thursday was most likely a warning, not an attack attempt, Seoul officials and analysts said on Friday.
The two Koreas exchanged artillery fire along the poorly marked western sea boundary on Thursday. South Korean officials say the exchange started after two North Korean artillery shells fell in waters near a South Korean navy ship on a routine patrol of the area.
The South Korean ship wasn’t hit but fired several artillery rounds into waters near one of several North Korean warships near the sea boundary, South Korean defence officials said. The North Korean ship also wasn’t hit.
The North doesn’t recognise the Yellow Sea boundary, which was unilaterally drawn by the US-led United Nations Command at the end of the 1950-53 Korean War.
Defence Ministry spokesman Kim Min-seok said on Friday that South Korean officials suspect the North Korean shells came from a land-based artillery system, but they haven’t officially pinpointed the origin. Defence officials had said on Thursday that the North’s shelling came from a warship.
Kim said officials believe North Korea didn’t aim to attack the South Korean navy ship because the North only fired two rounds. The North Korean ships in the area also didn’t leave the area after the North fired shells, something they would have done to avoid counter-fire if the North had intended to hit a South Korean ship, he said.