North, South Korea trade fire
October 7, 2014
On Tuesday morning, a North Korea navy boat crossed the maritime border with South Korea in the Yellow Sea near the island of Yeonpyeong.
According to the South Korean defense ministry, the northern patrol boat had sailed half a nautical mile into the South's territory.
Both sides exchanged warning shots. However, initial reports did not clarify which vessel had fired first. Neither side sustained damage and no personnel were injured in the brief clash.
"We are now watching North Korean troop movements and tightening vigilance against any additional provocations," a South Korean defense ministry spokesperson said.
The North Korean ship retreated back to its own waters within 10 minutes.
The Yellow Sea maritime border was drawn by the United Nations at the end of the Korean War in the early 1950s without the North's consent. Pyongyang still rejects the line's validity.
Tensions have remained high over the past year between Pyongyang and Seoul in light of repeated threats of attack by northern dictator Kim Jong Un and the nearly six-month closure of the joint industrial park Kaesong.
However, relations appeared to be improving when North Korean officials agreed to resume high-level dialogue with Seoul during a surprise visit to the southern neighbor over the weekend.
While the Korean War ended over half a century ago, the neighboring countries technically remain at war because they signed an armistice, not a peace treaty.
kms/crh (AP, AFP, dpa)