North Korea’s state news agency said drills this weekend involving South Korean
North Korea’s state news agency said drills this weekend involving South Korean forces and a U.S. nuclear powered supercarrier in waters south of Tuesday’s skirmish between the rival Koreas are a reckless plan by “trigger-happy elements” and that the maneuvers target the North.
“The situation on the Korean peninsula is inching closer to the brink of war,” the dispatch from the Korean Central News Agency said.
The heightened animosity between the Koreas is taking place as the North undergoes a delicate transition of power from leader Kim Jong Il to his son Kim Jong Un, who is in his late 20s and is expected to eventually succeed his ailing father.
North Korea’s heavy bombardment of Yeonpyeong Island took hostilities to a new level because civilians were killed.
South Korean troops returned fire and scrambled fighter jets in response. Two South Korean marines and two construction workers were killed and at least 18 others wounded. No deaths on the North Korean side were reported.
Without criticizing the North, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao responded by calling on all sides to show “maximum restraint” and pushed again to restart the six-nation talks aimed at persuading North Korea to dismantle its nuclear programs in exchange for aid.
The United States is sending the aircraft carrier USS George Washington to join South Korea’s forces near the coasts of China and North Korea in a four-day drill military drill that starts Sunday.