OT: Just heard on local news in NW 6:45pm Korea's engage in naval battle exchange!

greenspun.com : LUSENET : TimeBomb 2000 (Y2000) : One Thread

First I'd heard of it.

Any news from other sources? I'll be looking, be right back! I hate it when this happens!!

-- Michael (mikeymac@uswest.net), June 14, 1999

Answers

http://abcnews.go.com/wire/world/Reuters19990614_2247.html

WIRE:June 14, 9:40 p.m. ET

KOREA-NORTH-FIRING -2 SEOUL

One South Korean ship was slightly damaged but no further information was available, the defence ministry said.

Two North Korean boats retreated but one was still in South Korean waters, it said. State-run KBS television reported one North Korean torpedo boat had been disabled by South Korean firing.

Generals from North Korea and the United Nations Command had been scheduled to meet in the border area of Panmunjom at 10 a.m. (0100 GMT) to discuss the naval standoff, now in its ninth day. But a UNC spokesman could not confirm the meeting had started.

The U.S.-backed U.N. Command is the counterpart to North Korea for the 1953 truce which ended three years of brutal fighting between the two Koreas but left them still technically at war.

Copyright 1999 Reuters News Service. All rights reserved.

-- Linkmeister (link@librarian.edu), June 14, 1999.


Ed Dames predicted the next nukes would be launched by North Korea sometime this year. Think he got this one right!

-- @ (@@@.@), June 14, 1999.

Raw news off the wire from ABCNews.com:

http://abcnews.go.com/wire/world/

-- Linkmeister (link@librarian.edu), June 14, 1999.


So where is a good cheap source of potassium iodide?

-- Linda (lwmb@psln.com), June 14, 1999.

http://abcnews.go.com/wire/world/Reuters19990614_500.html

WIRE:June 14, 10:00 p.m. ET

South and North Korean warships exchange gunfire

AP News Service

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) _ South and North Korean warships exchanged gunfire Tuesday in contested waters of the Yellow Sea only minutes before talks began to end the standoff, the South Korean Defense Ministry said.

Col. Hwang Dong-kyu, spokesman for the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said three North Korean ships shot first and their fire was returned by at least some of the eight South Korean ships patrolling the area.

``One North Korean ship was hit and is staying (in the area), but the other two returned to North Korean waters,'' Hwang said.

One South Korean ship was hit by northern fire, but no casualties were reported, Lim said. It was unclear whether there were any casualties aboard the North Korean ships.

Spokesmen for U.S. State and Defense departments declined comment. A White House spokesman did not immediately return a call seeking comment.

The shooting erupted only 40 minutes before generals of the American- led U.N. Command and North Korea sat down in the border village of Panmunjom to discuss the tense military standoff, now in its eighth day.

North Korea agreed to the meeting after four of its patrol boats were rammed and briefly repelled by South Korean naval vessels in the first violent confrontation last Friday.

Two North Korean patrol boats moved back into the disputed waters shortly after daybreak Tuesday, escorting about 20 fishing boats, the Defense Ministry said.

They were later joined by three torpedo boats, which the ministry said began the shooting. It said the exchange of gunfire continued for about 10 minutes.

North Korean warships have been sailing in and out of the disputed zone since June 8 in what appeared to be a move to guard northern fishing boats operating in the area. The zone is a rich crab fishing ground.

The disputed waters lie midway between the North Korean mainland and five South Korean islands, 60 miles northwest of Seoul. The zone is within the territorial waters _ 12 nautical miles _ of both sides.

North Korea has contested the sea border since the late 1970s, sending fishing boats and naval ships into the zone 20 to 30 times a year. But when challenged by South Korean patrol boats, they usually have withdrawn quickly.

The armistice, signed by the U.N. Command and North Korea, never outlined the maritime border off the Korean peninsula's central western coast.

The U.N. Command unilaterally demarcated the sea frontier in 1953 and created a buffer zone south of it to avoid armed clashes.

The standoff overshadows vice-ministerial talks between the two rival Korean states, to be held in Beijing on Monday to discuss aid and reunions of separated families in the divided Korean Peninsula.

South Korean officials are concerned that the military tension could hurt the Beijing talks, the first government-level contact between the two Koreas in 14 months.

The peninsula was divided into communist North Korea and capitalist South Korea in 1945. They are technically still at war as the Korean War ended with an armistice, not a peace treaty.

Copyright 1999 AP News Service. All rights reserved.

-- Linkmeister (link@librarian.edu), June 14, 1999.



CNN Breaking News reporting on the crisis in South Koreas waters:

Also: News clips from headlines for the last week. Visit CNN NEWS.Com

Kinda spooky stuff if looked at in it's entirety! What tunnel??

CNN - North Korean ships re-enter South Korean waters as standoff continues - June 14, 1999

CNN - North Korea agrees to talks on sea confrontation - June 13, 1999

CNN - Sea standoff between Koreas in 5th day - June 12, 1999 North Korean ships re-entered contested waters Saturday

CNN - North Korea threatens to strike South Korea after ships rammed - June 12, 1999

CNN - South Korean navy ships push back North Korean ships - June 11, 1999

CNN - North Korea: Use of tunnel depends on U.S. attitudes - June 10, 1999

CNN - Two Koreas in tense Yellow Sea stand-off - June 9, 1999 SEOUL, South Korea (Reuters) -- North and South Korean navy vessels faced off Wednesday in the Yellow Sea, as each of the two Koreas, technically still at war, accused the ...

CNN - S.Korea, Philippines to boost defense cooperation - June 8, 1999

-- Michael (mikeymac@uswest.net), June 14, 1999.


[ For Educational Purposes Only ]

http://search.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/WAPO/19990614/V000796-061499-i dx.html

S. Korea Sinks N. Korean Ship

S. Korea Sinks N. Korean Ship

Monday, June 14, 1999; 10:07 p.m. EDT

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) -- South Korean warships sank a North Korean torpedo boat Tuesday in contested waters of the Yellow Sea after a 10-minute exchange of gunfire, South Korea's Defense Ministry said.

``Our patrol boats fired 35mm guns and hit one'' of three torpedo boats, Koo Bon-hak, a Defense Ministry spokesman said. ``The North Korean ship later sank. There is no word on casualties yet.''

Col. Hwang Dong-kyu, spokesman for the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the three northern torpedo boats shot first and their fire was returned by at least some of the eight South Korean ships patrolling the area.
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And we almost thought today was going to go by without adrenaline news ...

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-- Ashton & Leska in Cascadia (allaha@earthlink.net), June 14, 1999.


Michael, we'd better have lunch this week! ;^)

-- Ashton & Leska in Cascadia (allaha@earthlink.net), June 14, 1999.

@:

Ed Dames stated repeatedly that North Korea would launch a nuclear missile on the South Korean peninsula in the midst of high level talks. What at first would begin as a skirmish would then escalate into a nuclear launch of disasterous proportions.

-- Randolph (dinosaur@williams-net.com), June 14, 1999.


I can't write what I'm saying inside...if I did I would then have to request that the post be deleted for profanity...but the content would truly be from the heart.

Mike ===================================================================

-- Michael Taylor (mtdesign3@aol.com), June 14, 1999.



Such stupidity.

-- Mike Lang (webflier@erols.com), June 14, 1999.

Ashton and Leska-- Ditto that

Just checked out a few Asian newspapers; Phillipines, Asia One, Japanese paper, Tawain, No News yet! Weird to see tommorrows date today, reminded me of vicarious Y2K on 12/31/99, if we make it that far. (BIG SIGH)

Where's those darned white LEDs Cory!!

-- Michael (mikeymac@uswest.net), June 14, 1999.


U.S. Has Interest in Yellow Sea

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The United States has been keeping tabs on the contested region of the Yellow Sea where North and South Korean warships exchanged gunfire Tuesday

. Both Koreas claim the area, a rich crab fishing ground, as territorial waters.

North Korea has sent fishing boats and naval ships into the zone 20 to 30 times a year. However, it usually withdraws upon a challenge by South Korean patrol boats.

``From my understanding, this is an annual situation,'' said P.J. Crowley, a spokesman for the National Security Council. ``North Korea has, in the past, attempted to bring vessels down to these waters. In the past, when they've been warned off by South Korean vessels, they've turned around and returned to North Korea. This year, for some reason, they have not.''

[ Duh, they're starving to death, duh ]

Crowley said the Clinton administration is ``very concerned'' about Monday's action by North Korea and is closely monitoring developments.

``There are military-to-military talks going on today to discuss this situation and we are in close touch with the South Korean government regarding the steps they are taking in response,'' he said.

The Korean peninsula was divided into communist North Korea and capitalist South Korea in 1945. They are technically still at war as their 1950-53 Korean war ended with an armistice, not a peace treaty. The armistice, signed by the U.N. Command and North Korea, never outlined the border in the Yellow Sea off the western coast.
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NKorea Says Starts UN Talks On Naval Standoff

SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea's official news agency reported Tuesday that talks on the naval standoff between the rival Koreas had begun with the United Nations Command in the border area of Panmunjom.

The report from the Korea Central News Agency, monitored in Seoul, came as South Korea said both navies had exchanged gunfire in South Korean waters in the Yellow Sea.

South Korean vessels retaliated after North Korean torpedo boats fired first, Seoul's defense ministry said.

In a two-paragraph report, North Korea's news agency reported: ``General officers' talks are now going on at Panmunjom between representatives of the Korean People's Army and the U.S. Army.

``At the talks, the KPA side lodged strong protest with the U.S. military side against military provocations being committed by South Korean naval vessels in the north side's territorial waters off the west coast of Korea,'' it added.

It did not comment on firing in the Yellow Sea.

The talks between North Korean and UN Command generals had been scheduled to begin at 10:00 a.m. (0100 GMT). UNC officials in Seoul confirmed the talks had begun but did not provide further details.

The exchange of gunfire came after South Korea said North Korean ships had entered South Korean waters for a ninth day Tuesday.

North Korea has blamed South Korea for intruding into its waters.
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-- Ashton & Leska in Cascadia (allaha@earthlink.net), June 14, 1999.


uhhh...excuse me P.J. Crowley, a spokesman for the National Security Council, but fishing boats don't fire on Naval vessels... and if this was something that was "annual situation" why the heck are tensions SO high? Why did this result in an exchange of gunfire.

Totally clueless spinmeistering...

I can hear it now, "oh, well, the nuclear explosion was actually caused by a minor disruption in normal communications...nothing to worry about. I'm sure the hidden benefit is that the crab will grow to 10 times their normal size next year..."

sheesh...

Mike ===============================================================

-- Michael Taylor (mtdesign3@aol.com), June 15, 1999.


LOL... Michael... and a....

*Big Sigh*

Don't particularly care to become a West coasty post-toasty, should any soveriegn power along the Pacific Rim redirect unfriendly "fire."

Diane

-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), June 15, 1999.



Chewing your nails, biting your lips, grinding your teeth, smoking more than usual -- none of that will change the outcome. The guys with the buttons can't hear you cussing.

Some of us geezers and geezelles (is that the word?) have been living with this edge of the abyss mode since 1949. Get used to it. We did. So far none of those buttons have been pushed. If they ever are, go outside and watch. You'll never see a better show.

-- Tom Carey (tomcarey@mindspring.com), June 15, 1999.


Tom is right,

I believe I am on record as saying that Korea will start the fireworks - not a lot we can all do now - after all we are just pee' ons by design (eh two short?),

I've said this so many times, this is all planned, buttons are being pushed (metaphorically, ultimately physically), as Mr. Cousteau said 6B is too many, let's get it down to 2Billion...

And of course young Jacques went to the right dinner parties,...

these people don't muck around, it's gonna happen...

-- Andy (2000EOD@prodigy.net), June 15, 1999.


The North Koreans are starving... maybe if we address that issue, as opposed to hunkering down in our bunkers hoping our 1 to 2 years of preps will be enough to last until the whole f__king planet quits glowing....

Myself, if it reaches that point, hope I and my children go in the first flash... couldn't bear to watch them decay in my arms....

They are fighting over food.... let them have it...

-- Carl (slowlygi@stubborn.com), June 15, 1999.


This has been brewing for ovr a week. It is probable that this is not the end of the matter.

Does anyone have a spare Korean phrase book?

-- Mad Monk (madmonk@hawaiian.net), June 15, 1999.


And Clinton is "concerned" OF COURSE he's concerned. These folks don't cavil to words. You actually have to use WEAPONS. WEAPONS and PEOPLE!! None of this air power wins a war stuff. there looks like the seeds, not the startr but the seeds of a real true shooting war where BOTH sides get to shoot, and die.

ACH!!

chuck

-- Chuck, a night driver (rienzoo@en.com), June 15, 1999.


And we all KNOW this ain't the liberal's idea of war.

C

-- Chuck, a night driver (rienzoo@en.com), June 15, 1999.


Korea: nasty terrain, with severe winter, their territory.

Kosova: nasty terrain, with severe winter, their territory.

I sure hope that WJC understands the difficulty of fighting on two fronts (especially with long supply lines). He needs to read commentaries on WW II Germany and Napoleanic wars.

-- Mad Monk (madmonk@hawaiian.net), June 15, 1999.


[ For Educational Purposes Only ]

http://www.tampabayonline.net/news/news100b.htm

6/15/99 -- 2:57 PM

South and North Korean patrol boats exchange gunfire

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) - South Korea is vowing to pursue its policy of peaceful engagement with North Korea, despite a high-seas shootout that sank one northern patrol boat, badly damaged five others and is believed to have killed 30 North Korean sailors.

Even as the rival neighbors blamed each other for Tuesday's clash in the Yellow Sea, South Korea said it still hoped to meet North Korea in Beijing on Monday in the first talks between the two governments in 14 months.

``Our engagement policy with North Korea, based on strong national security, will be pushed consistently,'' said Hwang Won-tak, President Kim Dae-jung's national security adviser.

North Korea's reaction was more belligerent. The official Korean Central News Agency called the shooting a ``deliberate and planned'' provocation ``aimed at driving the situation on the Korean Peninsula to the brink of war.'' It demanded an immediate South Korean apology.

The fighting presented South Korea's president with a dilemma. Ever since the naval standoff began nine days ago, Kim has been walking a tightrope - working to pursue his so-called ``sunshine policy'' while trying to fend off conservative critics who increasingly accuse him of coddling North Korea.

The criticism reached a peak Tuesday.

``The sunshine policy is a failed policy. It has succeeded only in prompting more armed provocations from the North,'' said legislator Lee Sang-duk, policy coordinator of the opposition Grand National Party.

While promising to continue the engagement policy, Kim's national security adviser also warned that if ``North Korea repeats its provocations, we will again respond sternly.''

There were no immediate signs of further hostilities as both sides withdrew their vessels from the contested waters, a rich crab fishing ground off the west coast of the Korean peninsula.

Still, U.S. Navy and Air Force planes increased patrol flights over the area and Washington considered the possibility of sending additional ships and other military resources to the region.

Hwang said there were ``no unusual North Korean military activities'' along the demilitarized zone bisecting the peninsula. Having grown familiar with saber-rattling, most South Koreans went about their business as usual.

Ships from the two sides have been confronting each other since June 8, when North Korean warships began sailing in and out of the area both Koreas claim as their territorial waters.

Brig. Gen. Cha Young-koo, a South Korean Defense Ministry spokesman, said the shooting began after 10 southern boats twice tried to chase seven northern boats out. A torpedo boat opened fire when a southern boat tried to ram it, he said.

``All responsibility lies on the North Korean side,'' Cha said, claiming the South Koreans fired back in self-defense.

The sunken vessel was believed to be a 40-ton Sin Hung-class PT-1806 torpedo boat, South Korea's Defense Ministry officials said. Five other northern vessels, including a 400-ton Taechong 2 patrol boat, also suffered severe damage but apparently managed to return to the northern waters, the ministry said.

The North Korean news agency, however, said one boat sank and three others were badly damaged.

A U.S. defense official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said 30 North Korean sailors were believed killed and a number of others injured.

Seven South Korean sailors were injured, none seriously, when their vessels, a frigate and four patrol boats, were raked by northern fire.

``Our soldiers are dying,'' North Korean Lt. Gen. Ri Chan Bok was quoted by South Korean officials as saying during a border meeting with the U.S.-led U.N. Command.

Ri lodged a protest against the shooting when he sat down with generals from the U.N. Command in the border village of Panmunjom for a meeting scheduled before the shooting.

The U.N. Command said there was no agreement on ways to reduce tensions. No date has been set for further talks.

The disputed waters lie between the North Korean mainland and five South Korean islands, 60 miles northwest of Seoul. The zone is within the territorial waters - 12 nautical miles - of both sides.

``We don't want to see any miscalculation. Clearly here, North Korea is at fault in having crossed the buffer area,'' said Mike Hammer, a spokesman for the U.S. National Security Council in Washington.

Gen. John H. Tilelli, commander of the U.S. military in South Korea, promised ``prompt U.S. support to reinforce combined military posture in the future,'' said a joint statement released after he met with Gen. Kim Jin-ho, chairman of the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff.

The United States has about 37,000 troops in South Korea, but there was no change in their alert status.

South Korea ordered its military to a heightened state of readiness on the islands within the disputed zone, moving more soldiers and weapons into guard posts. The military has been canceling leaves for soldiers since Saturday.

[ snip ... ]

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-- Ashton & Leska in Cascadia (allaha@earthlink.net), June 15, 1999.


http://www.tampabayonline.net/news/news100n.htm
very temporary URL

[ For Educational Purposes Only ]

6/17/99 -- 12:09 PM

Reports: North Korea missile could reach the United States

TOKYO (AP) - North Korea is preparing to test launch an upgraded ballistic missile with a range of up to 3,700 miles - long enough to reach Alaska, news reports said Thursday.

The hard-line Stalinist state has been conducting propulsion tests on a long-range Taepodong-2 missile, Japanese national broadcaster NHK reported, quoting unidentified U.S. military sources.

The Pentagon on Thursday would not comment on the report. ``We routinely monitor North Korea,'' a Pentagon official said on condition of anonymity.

Separately, Kyodo News reported late Wednesday that the North has enlarged the launch pad for its Taepodong missile and is transporting fuel to the facility.

There are no indications that a launch is imminent, but Japan believes secretive North Korea could test the new version of its Taepodong missile as early as July, Kyodo said, citing anonymous Japanese officials.

Pyongyang rattled nerves in Asia and the United States in August last year by test firing a Taepodong-1 missile that flew over Japan and landed in the Pacific Ocean.

That rocket was a two-stage missile and is believed to have had a range of about 1,000 miles. Experts believe that the North's new ballistic missile is a much more powerful three-stage projectile, Kyodo said.

In a separate report, the conservative Sankei newspaper said Thursday that the North's new missile has an estimated range of over 2,200 miles.

Japan's Nihon Keizai newspaper reported in its morning edition Wednesday that U.S. satellite images and South Korean intelligence reports show that the North is preparing a ballistic missile launch.

The report came a day after gunboats from North and South Korea exchanged fire in the Yellow Sea, escalating tensions between the rival states.
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Yep, we've made a little accessible shrine for our Potassium I.O.Date.

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-- Ashton & Leska in Cascadia (allaha@earthlink.net), June 17, 1999.


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