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N Korea warns of 'brink of war'
North Korea says Seol's military exercises with US are a recipe for war, as artillery fire is heard in the tense border.
Last Modified: 26 Nov 2010 07:16 GMT
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South Korea has ordered more troops to be deployed at Yeonpyeong island following Tuesday's shelling [GALLO/GETTY] Days after it carried out its heaviest bombardment since 1953, Noth Korea on Friday has warned that South Korea's military exercises with the US bring the two neighbours to the "brink of war."The stark warning comes as sounds of distant artillery fire were heard on Friday from within North Korea, and a Reuters witness said he saw smoke rising from inland North Korea.
South Korea's YTN television said the shells appeared to have landed north of a disputed maritime border in North Korean waters and the military does not believe the firing was aimed at the South.
Four people on the South Korean island of Yeonpyeong including two civilians were killed in an artillery attack by the North on Tuesday when dozens of shells landed on the island. North Korea said it was responding to live fire from South Korea within its waters.
New defence chief
South Korea has named a top security adviser as the country's new defence minister, as tensions rise on the peninsula following North Korea's deadly artillery strike near a disputed maritime border.
The presidential office in the South Korean capital, Seoul, announced on Friday that Lee Hee-Won would replace Kim Tae-Young, who resigned amid public criticism of the military's response to North Korea's shelling of Yeonpyeong island on Tuesday.
Lee, 61, is a former four-star general who became deputy chief of the US-South Korea Joint Forces Command in 2005.
Al Jazeera's Marga Ortigas, reporting from Seoul, said Koreans are hoping Lee will prove more effective than his predecessor.
"He's a career military with years of experience," she said.
"He has worked very closely with the US armed forces that are here in South Korea so there are hopes that the relationship between the two countries will become even stronger under Lee Hee-won.
"He has in the past been known to be able to drive President Lee Myung-bak to take more firm decisions in terms of relationships with North Korea. Now they're hoping that this will restore confidence in the military as well as boost moral."
'Series of incidents'
Lee Myung-bak, the South Korean president, accepted Kim's resignation on Thursday "to improve the atmosphere in the military and to handle the series of incidents", a presidential official said.
The South Korean defence minister was held responsible for the response to the North Korean attack [AFP] South Korean legislators said the military should have responded more ruthlessly, such as by staging an air strike on the North's artillery batteries, but Kim said air power could have sparked a "full-blown war". Tuesday's bombardment on Yeonpyeong island killed two civilians and two marines, and shattered many homes and set buildings ablaze.
South Korean officials said it was the first shelling of civilian areas in the South since the end of the 1950-53 Korean War.
South Korea said it would increase troops near the disputed sea border off its west coast following the attacks.
The military in Seoul said it will revise its rules of engagement to respond more strongly to North Korean attacks in the future.
Pyongyang threats
But North Korea's KCNA news agency said Pyongyang will launch more attacks if South Korea continues with "reckless provocations".
"[North Korea] will wage second and even third rounds of attacks without any hesitation, if warmongers in South Korea make reckless military provocations again," the agency said, quoting from a military statement.
Meanwhile, China's prime minister has called on all sides to observe "maximum restraint" over renewed tensions on the Korean peninsula.
Wen Jiabao, in the first highest-level Chinese response to North Korea's attack, said that China opposes military provocations in any form.
"China has all along devoted itself to maintaining the peninsula's peace and stability, and opposed military provocations in any forms," he said during a visit to Russia on Wednesday.
"All concerned parties should exert maximum restraint, and the international community should make more efforts conducive to easing up the tensions," Wen said in remarks posted on the Chinese foreign ministry's website.
China has been careful not to mention North Korea by name or assign blame for Tuesday's attack, in keeping with its status as North Korea's most important ally.
China has long propped up the Pyongyang leadership, worried that a collapse of the North could bring instability to its own borders.
Beijing is also wary of a unified Korea that would be dominated by the United States, the key ally of the South.
The deaths of civilians have added to anger in South Korea.
"If China does not put public pressure on North Korea, provocations by North Korea will continue," South Korea's Chosun Ilbo newspaper said.
"If the Korean peninsula is in flames, Chinese prosperity will shake from the bottom."
Source:
Al Jazeera and agencies
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