North Korea fired some of them 200 artillery shells near two South Korean islandswho had to be evacuated, according to the Seoul government which warned that these actions constitute a “threat to peace” in the region.
“The North Korean army fired approximately 200 rounds of fire today in the areas of Jangsan-got, in the northeast of Bangnyeong Island, and in the areas north (…) of Yeonpyeong Island,” the South Korean Ministry of Defense.
Residents of these two South Korean islands had already received evacuation orders one of the most serious military escalations on the Korean Peninsula since Pyongyang fired a series of projectiles in 2010.
Subsequently, the South Korean Ministry of Defense denounced in a statement”a provocative act that threatens peace on the Korean Peninsula”.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un had called for an increase in the production of missile launchers. Photo: AFP“We strongly warn that North Korea bears full responsibility for this escalating crisis and strongly call on it to immediately cease these actions,” the ministry added in a statement cited by the AFP news agency.
For his part, the South Korean Navy launches live ammunition exercise on the border island of Yeonpyeong after North Korea fired shots, local news agency Yonhap reported.
This was requested by China, which is North Korea’s main international supporter “moderation” for all parties and asked that they “refrain from adopting measures that aggravate the tension, avoid a further exacerbation of the situation and create the conditions for the resumption of a serious dialogue”.
Relations between the two Koreas are at a critical point moment of tension that hadn’t been seen for decadesafter North Korean leader Kim Jong-un wrote into the Constitution the country’s vocation as a nuclear power and tested several intercontinental ballistic missiles.
At a political meeting at the end of the year, Kim warned of a nuclear attack from the south and called for strengthening the military arsenal in the face of a conflict that he said could “erupt at any moment.”
Hours before the bullets were fired, Kim called increase the production of missile launchers in preparation for a “military confrontation” with South Korea and the United States.
North Korea’s official KCNA news agency showed images of Kim with his daughter Ju Ae at a factory that produces mobile launchers (TELs) used for the country’s intercontinental ballistic missiles.
Additionally, Kim called for “a dynamic effort to increase production,” as, he said, the country must be prepared “for a military confrontation with the enemy,” KCNA published.
US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said this on Thursday North Korea has supplied missiles to Russia with a range of 900 kilometers and that some were used in attacks against Ukraine.
Kim met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in the Russian Far East in September.
The United States and South Korea then accused North Korea of providing weapons to Russia for use in the large-scale invasion in exchange for satellite technology.
Ukraine, which was again the target of Russian drone strikes on Friday, said it could not yet confirm that Russia fired missiles supplied by North Korea against its territory in December.
“So far we have no information about the use of this type of missile,” Ukrainian Air Force spokesman Yuri Ignat told Ukrainian television.
Source: Clarin
Mary Ortiz is a seasoned journalist with a passion for world events. As a writer for News Rebeat, she brings a fresh perspective to the latest global happenings and provides in-depth coverage that offers a deeper understanding of the world around us.