By Just in case anyone cares:
North and South Korea exchanged artillery fire near their disputed sea border on Wednesday, the second time in three months the rivals have clashed and briefly sending prices down on jittery Seoul financial markets.
Analysts doubted the latest clash would escalate and saw it more as an attempt by Pyongyang to stress the instability on the Korean peninsula and press home its demand for a peace deal that would open the way to international aid for its ruined economy.
South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said the North fired artillery shots from land toward the South but landing on its side of the disputed sea border off the west coast.
South Korea returned fire from its coastal artillery.
The presidential Blue House said both sides fired into the air and there were no casualties, according to Yonhap, adding it had called a meeting of top national security officials. [Reuters via reader tip]
As the article mentions this is just another attempt by the North Koreans to remain in the headlines.
3:52 am on January 27th, 2010 1
“The presidential Blue House said both sides fired into the air”
I should hope so.
Leon LaPorte’s son was 180 degrees off by the compass but even he got his elevation right.
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6:39 am on January 27th, 2010 2
I don’t get it. KN’s artillery lands in the water within their border and KS returned fire? What was the target a fish? Why would KS return fire?
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January 27th, 2010 at 7:24 am
Well, looking at the picture above, it looks like the shells landed within South Korean waters (North is usually up on a map, right?).
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7:17 am on January 27th, 2010 3
“They fired into the air”…I wonder if they hit anything… “Splash, Over…”
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7:28 am on January 27th, 2010 4
Since they’re firing into the air over water, I’d bet money that the North Koreans fired a 30-round burst of M-1990 30mm rounds and the South Koreans in turn fired a 100-round burst of 20mm Vulcan rounds.
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January 27th, 2010 at 11:13 am
“I’d bet money that the North Koreans fired a 30-round burst of M-1990 30mm rounds and the South Koreans in turn fired a 100-round burst of 20mm Vulcan rounds.”
I’m not a weapons expert, but are those considered artillery? I thought artillery were indirect fire weapons? 30mm and 20mm sounds like munitions for direct fire; guns.
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January 27th, 2010 at 1:32 pm
Anti-Aircraft Artillery. Something was lost in translation.
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12:11 pm on January 27th, 2010 5
When they fire on Seoul—let me know. THAT would be news.
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January 28th, 2010 at 12:53 am
I most certainly agree with the feeling. The foreign media likes to exaggerate the North Korean threat.
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3:54 pm on January 27th, 2010 6
Meanwhile the aid from the South to the North continues as if nothing happened.
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10:58 pm on February 9th, 2010 7
Kinda old but I will comment anyways. ROKMC on the island lack ARTILLERY LOCATING RADAR. ROKA used provide a loaner and keep it on the island when tensions are high but it wasn’t there when this happened.
When N Korea fired artillery shells (big ones using TOT as found out later), the only radar on the island is anti-air so it looked some type of aircraft was flying over. ROKMC operator didn’t know it was artillery shells. Hence the response by 30mm guns by ROKMC.
Due to this incident, ROKA will keep a ARTILLERY LOCATING RADAR on the island at all times.
I read somewhere that in the old days like 60’s Migs from N Korea would fly over the island pretty unopposed. Whenever that happened, the ROKMC towed artillery pieces had to be relocated, causing much cursing from the poor soldiers. Funny how things change over time.
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