North Korea Fires On South Korea, Killing Two South Korean Marines

Think that there is far too much news about Bristol Palin‘s “controversial” success on the reality show Dancing With the Stars or TSA pat-downs? Well now there appears to be a real international crisis unfolding in the Korean peninsula. During South Korean maritime military drills, North Korea fired mortar shells towards the S. Korean troops, reportedly injuring 15 soldiers and killing two.

According to CNN.com:

Seoul, South Korea (CNN) — In a sharp escalation of hostility along their disputed sea border, North Korean and South Korean forces traded fire Tuesday, a deadly skirmish that jacked up diplomatic tensions in a volatile region.

Two South Korean marines were killed and 15 South Korean soldiers and civilians were wounded when the North fired about 100 rounds of artillery at Yeonpyeong Island in the Yellow Sea, South Korea authorities said, according to the South Korean Yonhap news agency.

South Korea’s military responded with more than 80 rounds of artillery and deployed fighter jets to counter the fire, defense officials said.

Firing between the two sides lasted for about an hour in the Yellow Sea, a longstanding flashpoint between the two Koreas. In March, a South Korean warship, the Cheonan, was sunk in the area with the loss of 46 lives in a suspected North Korean torpedo attack.

Watch CNN report below:

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