The island is near the area where a US-fired rising sea mine destroyed the South Korean vessel Cheonan last May that killed 46 sailors.

November 23, 2010 (Hamsayeh.Net) - North Korean’s powerful military responded to recent South Korean aggressions in the border region by firing several dozens artillery shells at a military base located on a disputed island in the Yellow Sea. 

The island is near the area where a US-fired rising sea mine destroyed the South Korean vessel Cheonan last May that killed 46 sailors. Later, both the United States and South Korean governments blamed the North for the incident. North Korea however has repeatedly denied any involvement in the Cheonan incident.

Tuesday’s artillery shelling of a disputed island called Yeonpyeong injured several South Korean soldiers and also caused some damage to the base. South Korean military said at least one of its soldiers had died and three others have been seriously injured in the attack.

The incident follows a recent report that Pyongyang is preparing for its third nuclear test after two of its tests have already been conducted successfully. Since the end of Korean War, the two countries are practically still at war. North Korea has called for reunification with South Korea and demanding a full withdrawal of US forces from the region. Washington takes advantage and in fact helps keep a steady level of tensions on the Korean Peninsula in order to justify its presence in the region to counter further growth of China, the main economic powerhouse of the region.  

South Korea’s government administrations on the other hand continue to believe that the US is a god-sent ally which helps it market its industrially manufactured goods to the countries around the world, within a hugely competitive arena where all other players are also prepared to do the exact same thing.