North Korea Shellings

South Korea says it has returned fire after North Korea fired dozens of artillery shells at one of its border islands, killing two marines.

The South's military was placed on its highest non-wartime alert after the shells landed on Yeonpyeong island.

Pyongyang accused the South of firing first. The Southern military said it had conducted exercises but shelling was directed away from the North.

This is one of the worst clashes since the Korean War ended, analysts say.

There have been occasional cross-border incidents since the conflict ended without a peace treaty in 1953, but the latest comes at a time of rising regional tension.

North Korea's reclusive leader Kim Jong-il is thought to be ill and trying to ensure the succession of his youngest son.

On Saturday, it emerged that North Korea had also shown off what it claimed was a new uranium enrichment facility to an American scientist.

The move prompted the US to rule out the resumption of six-party talks on nuclear disarmament that Pyongyang abandoned two years ago.

White House press secretary Robert Gibbs called on North Korea to "halt its belligerent action", adding that the US was "firmly committed" to South Korea's defence.

An emergency session of the United Nations Security Council could be held on Tuesday or Wednesday, a French diplomatic source said.

JackHizzle wrote:AND NORTH KOREA WAS ALL LIKE

aprilMCC wrote:

JackHizzle wrote:AND NORTH KOREA WAS ALL LIKE

YES.

kappa99 wrote:This is a worrying event. No one really knows what the North is capable of and it does like to annoy people.

Sidenote, did you know, in his first ever round of golf, Kim Jong Il scored 16 holes in one.