NKorea fires on SKorea in fierce artillery attack; jets scrambled

Closed-circuit television images broadcast on Korean television show the impacts of several artillery shells fired by North Korea Tuesday afternoon.
N. Korea fires artillery towards S. Korean island, official says 
North Korea on Tuesday fired several rounds of artillery towards South Korean waters and an island near the tense west sea border, the South's military said. The North's artillery shells fell at 2:34 p.m. in the South's waters off the island of Yeonpyeong, some of them landing directly on the island, said Col. Lee Bung-woo, spokesman at the South's Joint Chiefs of Staff. The South's military responded with its artillery firing.
Island #3 is the one NK fired upon
"North Korea fired scores of artillery shells at a South Korean island on Tuesday, killing two soldiers, in one of the heaviest attacks on its neighbor since the Korean War ended in 1953.  North Korea shells South in fiercest barrage in decades:  The barrage -- the South fired back and sent a fighter jet to the area -- was close to a disputed maritime border on the west of the divided peninsula and the scene of deadly clashes in the past. South Korea was conducting military drills in the area at the time but said it had not been firing at the North. The attack came as the reclusive North, and its ally China, presses regional powers to return to negotiations on its nuclear weapons program and revelations at the weekend Pyongyang is fast developing another source of material to make atomic bombs."

Still is from S Korean news footage
AF chief Schwartz: Latest North Korea "provocation" means that the US government should discuss reintroduction of nukes to Korean peninsula. However, "The United States says it is not moving additional military power into South Korea following artillery attack by North Korea." Obama said it is "too soon to tell." I really would like to know what the Pentagon recommended, though.

Other nations are spooked by the sudden attack. "Indonesia has expressed deep concern over the armed clash between North Korea and South Korea on Yeonpyeong island that has claimed lives. The term "WWIII" has come up more than once this morning from many quarters on various forums. It is indicative of the tensions we feel these days. As Bonnie Tyler said in her 80's song, "We're living in a powder keg and giving off sparks."

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