October 1, 2009

North Korea (ENN)

North Korean television showed pictures of a reported attack by South Korea on a village near the DMZ. 

North Korean military leaders say that
at least a platoon of South Korean soldiers infiltrated across the border. When they were spotted by a North Korean patrol, they took a nearby village hostage and then tried to escape back to South Korea by using the villagers as human shields. 

In an ensuing firefight, a number of civilians were killed as well as several South Korean soldiers. The rest of the South Koreans managed to escape back across the DMZ under the cover of supporting fire from units on the South Korean side of the DMZ. South Korean uniforms and weapons were clearly identifiable in the pictures of the dead.

North Korea claims that this is the third incident of South Korean aggression this month. They are demanding immediate compensation as well as the withdrawal of all South Korean and US forces from the DMZ. North Korea further announced that any future incidents will be considered an act of war.

Troops shoot at South Korean infiltrators from railway escarpment above village [Courtesy N. Korea State Television]

American and South Korean officials state they had no hand in this incident and are just as perplexed by what happened as the North Koreans are. Given the North Korean statement, this incident will further cause a strain on relations between all the countries involved. 

While there has been no further reports of violence from the Korean mainland, all military forces on both sides of the DMZ are said to be at the highest state of alert in years, though this cannot be confirmed through official channels.

More to follow as information becomes available.

Kelly Crawford (ENN)