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By Kwon Hyuk-chul, Staff Writer　

On Tuesday afternoon, North Korea fired around 100 or naval artillery shells into the seas near the West Sea island of Yeonpyeong. Dozens fell on Yeonpyeong Island itself and two Marines died while being transported to the hospital, while six were severely injured and 10 sustained minor injuries. Three civilians were also injured, and civilian homes and shops were damaged and destroyed. An inter-Korean military clash also took place, as South Korea’s military responding by returning fire, sending dozens of shells toward North Korea. Until the late 60s, there were intermittent artillery battles along the DMZ, but this was the first to take place since the 1970s.

Through an official statement, the government said North Korea must take the proper responsibility for the incident, and that Seoul would respond boldly to any additional provocations. President Lee Myung-bak called an emergency meeting of presidential secretaries in an underground bunker at the Cheong Wa Dae (the presidential office in South Korea or Blue House) and ordered that they respond firmly, but do everything they can to make sure the situation does not deteriorate. However, President Lee changed his position. His spokeswoman Kim Hee-jung reported that during a video conference with Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Han Min-koo, President Lee ordered a “manifold retaliation” against North Korea.

“President Lee instructed the military to strike North Korea’s missile base near its coastline artillery positions if necessary,” Kim said, “If there is an indication of further provocation.”

Observers said that President Lee changed the tone of response fearing to look like weak leader.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff stated that North Korea launched about 100 coastal artillery and howitzer shells in the direction of Yeonpyeong Island from 2:34 p.m. to 2:55 p.m., and from 3:10 p.m. to 3:41 p.m., and that dozens of these shells landed on a village where civilians live.

Prior to the incident, the South Korean military carried out a firing exercise probably related to the Hoguk Exercise in the area around Yeonpyeong Island and Baengnyeong Island at 10 a.m. North Korea had voiced strong objections to the Hoguk Exercise, a large-scale military drill that South Korea says enhances its military command capabilities.

Officials from the Joint Chiefs said that North Korea sent a message Tuesday morning that it would not tolerate firing in its territorial waters. The South Korean military also sent a message in the name of the head delegate for inter-Korean military talks calling on North Korea to cease firing.

The South Korean military returned fire with K-9 self-propelled guns at a North Korean coastal artillery base at 2:47 p.m. They fired again at the North Korean artillery launch point at 3:25 p.m. after North Korea resumed fire. The South Korean military said it launched about 80 rounds. It also declared “Jindo Dog 1,” the highest alert status, in the area around the five West Coast Islands.

The Ministry of Unification has decided to indefinitely postpone the inter-Korean Red Cross talks scheduled for Nov. 25. The Ministry also ordered that personal security be strengthened for South Koreans living in the Kaesong Industrial Complex and Mt. Kumgang Tourism Zone, and forbade visits to Kaesong by officials from businesses located there on Wednesday. The government has also decided to block civilians from entering the Civilian Control Zone for all of Wednesday.

North Korean top military command said in a press release Tuesday, “South Korea carried out a military provocation by firing into North Korea’s territorial waters near Yeonpyeong Island at 1 p.m. Tuesday, despite receiving repeated warnings. The military of North Korea took firm military measures to respond to the South Korean provocations with an immediate and strong physical strike.”

Immediately after the North Korean attack, local villagers on the island went to air raid shelters or fled on fishing boats. In the afternoon, after shells fell on the normally placid village, villagers who spoke on the phone with the Hankyoreh all spoke with urgent voices, with screams let out in the middle of the calls. The sense of tension was dramatic, with sounds of explosions continuing during the call.

Yeom Heung-gwon, the head of Dongbu Village, Yeonpyeong Island, said, “Six or seven shells fell at a time, destroying homes and setting fires in an instant.” Yeom went on to say, “With only one fire truck, it was impossible to even think of putting out the flames, and the military could not help because it was in a state of emergency.”

Choe Yeol, who was head of the local fishermen’s association, said, “Eight homes went up in flames before my eyes. Power was out in parts of the island, and with black smoke rising up around the island, it resembled a war zone.”

As of the end of last year, 932 families - 1,780 people - live on the Yeonpyeong Island, the land area of which is divided into Soyeonpyeong Island and Daeyeonpyeong Islands.

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