N Korea accuses South of naval provocation

[DuctapeFatwa]

North Korea has accused the South's navy of a grave provocation that could lead to a maritime skirmish after South Korean patrol boats fired warning shots to repel military vessels from the North.

South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said on Monday three North Korean patrol boats had crossed the so called Northern Limit Line in two separate incidents in just over an hour in the West Sea. A communique from the North Korean navy, published by the official KCNA news agency, condemned the South and said the North's boats had been on routine patrol in North Korean waters.

Either way, diplomats in Seoul say relations across the Demilitarised Zone are rocky at best, despite the South's desire under President Roh Moo-hyun to tread softly with Pyongyang. "The South Korean armed forces deliberately committed this armed provocation which may give rise to another skirmish in the West Sea," the North's statement said.

It described the incident as grave and reckless, saying the South Korean navy had fired shells at a North Korean patrol boat.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200411/s1233059.htm

[Nancy Waterman]

1. All we need now is Bush handling this!! Not!

November Surprise!