The North`s Attack Implies a Significant Degree of Intended Provocation

Two North Korean patrol boats intruded the Northern Limit Line (NLL) in the West Sea at 9:54 am on the 29th. They ignored repeated warnings from South Korean naval ships and opened fired. The naval clash claimed significant damage on the South Korean side.

Such a provocative act of North Korea is a clear violation of the Armistice Agreement and the agreement reached in the first South-North Defense Ministers` Meeting that the militaries of both sides would make efforts to ease tension on the Korean peninsula.

Our government makes a solemn protest against North Korea`s provocative act. We urge North Korea to apologize for the violation of the armistice, punish those who provoked the armed conflict and halt any type of provocative act, including invasion of the sea border.

We urge again North Korea to halt incursion of the NLL and its provocation. We strongly warn that all responsibility for this incident rests with the North Korean side.

jnghn@donga.com