North Korean 'drone' recovered in South after exchange of artillery fire
North Korea fired missiles into disputed waters Monday, raising tensions on the peninsular. The discovery of a suspected North Korean drone points to increased surveillance in the area.
North Korea fired missiles into disputed waters Monday, raising tensions on the peninsular. The discovery of a suspected North Korean drone points to increased surveillance in the area.
A daily roundup of terrorism and security issues.
Following an exchange of live fire early Monday with North Korea along聽its disputed maritime border with South Korea, Seoul says it found an unmanned drone that crashed into an island near the border. If confirmed to be a North Korean drone, the discovery could exacerbate already stressed relations on the peninsula.
"The temperature is rising at present on the Korean Peninsula, and this worries us," said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei. China is the North鈥檚 main supporter. "We hope that all sides can remain calm and exercise restraint."
In recent days, North Korea has taken steps to raise military tensions on the Korean Peninsula. It said Sunday it would carry out a 鈥渘ew form鈥� of nuclear test, something observers suspect could mean testing a nuclear device small enough to be carried by ballistic missiles, according to The New York Times.
On Monday the North fired 500 shells into the Yellow Sea, with about 100 crossing into the disputed maritime border with South Korea. Seoul fired back its own barrage: a defense spokesman told CNN, 鈥淲e are not shooting at North Korea, just shooting into the sea."
The shelling was the first to take place since South Korea鈥檚 Joint Chief of Staff approved 鈥渘ew rules of engagement that call for an immediate strike against a North Korean attack,鈥� reports South Korean Yonhap News Agency. Previous protocol 鈥減revented the South Korean military from retaliating unless there [was] an absolute need.鈥�
The discovery of a crashed drone on the South Korean island of Baengnyeong has Seoul looking into the North鈥檚 espionage operations, reports Reuters.聽
South Korea's聽defense ministry believes North Korea has deployed drones along its southern border in the past, according to The Wall Street Journal.
The US and South Korea are currently participating in joint military exercises, which are slated to end on April 18. Bruce Bechtol, a Korea expert and professor at Angelo State University in Texas told USA Today that North Korea鈥檚 firing into South Korean territory 鈥渨as really aimed at [US] policymakers, Republic of Korea policymakers, and Japan.鈥�
The official Korean Central News Agency that North Korea's actions Monday were necessary self-defense moves taken 鈥渢o cope with the grave situation created by the US鈥檚 hostile policy,鈥� reports USA Today.
North Korea "is fully ready for next-stage steps which the enemy can hardly imagine in case the US considers them as a 'provocation' again," the statement read. "It would not rule out a new form of nuclear test for bolstering up its nuclear deterrence. The US had better ponder over this and stop acting rashly."
As a separate NewYork Times article notes, 鈥渁fter trading fire,鈥� the Koreas 鈥渢rad[ed] insults鈥� this week. South Korean President Park Geun-hye made a speech last week, promising a host of measures including increased aid and investment in the North in return for giving up its nuclear program. The so-called "Dresden Declaration" wasn't well-received in the North.
Today, according to The New York Times: