South Korea says it will hold its largest-ever live-fire drill near the military border with North Korea on Thursday, just as tension on the peninsula eases after Pyongyang's attack on a southern island.
The drill, involving artillery, fighter jets and the largest number of personnel in a peace-time exercise, comes after the South's live-fire artillery exercise on Monday on the island of Yeonpyeong and is bound to infuriate the North.
North Korea this week offered to re-admit UN inspectors concerned about its nuclear weapon program, leading to speculation of a resumption of six-party disarmament talks and a general sigh of relief around the world that the crisis had passed.
"Yes, it will be a show of force against that," an army officer said when asked if the shelling of Yeonpyeong last month was a factor in the drill's planning.
He added similar drills had been staged previously on more than 50 occasions, but the scale this time is unprecedented.
It will take place in Pocheon region, less than 50 kilometres north of downtown Seoul.
The Korean crisis peaked when the North shelled Yeonpyeong, just south of the disputed border, killing four people in the worst attack on South Korean territory since the end of the 1950-53 war.
The South carried out live-fire drills on Yeonpyeong on Monday, which provoked only a verbal reaction from the North.
North Korea had vowed to strike back if the South went ahead with the drills, prompting fears of all-out war.
China, North Korea's only major ally, has continually urged dialogue to resolve the crisis and urged Pyongyang to follow through on its offer to allow UN inspectors into the country.
The Chinese foreign ministry had no immediate comment on the planned drill.
Seoul's Joongang Daily said South Korea should practice "nimble diplomacy" and forge a closer relationship with China.
"As long as there is a constant threat from the North to launch a surprise attack, we must be on high alert from a military perspective," the newspaper said.
"But such preparations should be combined with diplomacy. We should reduce our diplomatic dependence on the US and strengthen our ties with China and Russia."
- Reuters
The South are doing all the provoking , but the North are getting Media blasted for threatening to retaliate....
The South are doing all the provoking , but the North are getting Media blasted for threatening to retaliate....
No comments:
Post a Comment