Attack on Yeonpyeong Island:

ROK explains its position

The Korean Embassy in Colombo in a press statement released yesterday gave the official position of the Republic of Korea regarding North Korea's attack on Yeonpyeong Island on November 23.

The statement: "At around 14.34 on November 23, the North Korean military fired artillery shells on and in waters surrounding Yeonpyeong Island. North Korea's attack caused 18 military casualties (two marines killed in action, six heavily injured and 10 lightly injured) and five civilian casualties (two killed and three injured).

Acting in self-defence, the ROK Armed Forces promptly returned fire in accordance with its rules of engagement, and heightened the alert level for the West Sea area to Jindogae 1 (the highest military alert posture for localized provocations).

In addition, the ROK Armed Forces is strengthening surveillance and reconnaissance over North Korean military activities, while maintaining a joint Army, Navy, Air Force readiness posture that is prepared to respond firmly in the event of further North Korean provocations.

On November 16, the ROK Join Chief of Staff announced that the annual theatre-level Hoguk joint exercise would be held from November 22 to 30.

On November 23 morning, North Korea sent a telephone message to the ROK side demanding the halt to the Hoguk exercise.

The ROK proceeded with the routine exercise as planned.

Later in the morning, the ROK side fired shells from the southwest part of Yeonpyeong Island at waters toward the southwest (diagonally opposite direction to North Korea) as part of a monthly artillery exercise.

Our waters where the shells descended is an area where many exercises have previously been held.

Regarding the Hoguk exercise, Korea Hydrographic and Oceanographic Administration (KHOA) issued a notice of navigational warning on November 16 (notice #10-347). On the same day, another navigational warning regarding the artillery exercise nearby Yeonpyoeng Island was released (notice #10-346). These notices were officially announced through NAVTEX (Navigation Telex) by the ROK maritime police.

Nonetheless, North Korea fired artillery rounds on ROK military and civilian facilities, claiming that the ROK's exercise is an act of provocation against North Korea.

While North Korea has in the past launched numerous provocations including the Cheonan incident, the shelling of November 23 marks the first time that even civilian areas were indiscriminately attacked.

ROK Government Position

We vigorously condemn North Korea's armed attack and, in particular, its indiscriminate attack on civilians, and will respond strongly and firmly to any further North Korean provocation.

North Korea's shelling of Yeonpyeong Island is a clear act of provocation against the ROK. It was a premeditated and deliberate act of attack that is illegal and in clear violation of the United Nations Charter, the Armistice Agreement, and the Protocol on the Implementation and Observance of the South-North Basic Agreement of 1992 on non-aggression. In particular, indiscriminate attacks on civilians is absolutely inexcusable. North Korean authorities must take full responsibility for the events of November 23."