SEOUL, South Korea – North Korea shot dozens of rounds of artillery onto a populated South Korean island near their disputed western border Tuesday, military officials said, setting buildings on fire and prompting South Korea to return fire and scramble fighter jets.

The skirmish came amid tension over North Korea's claim that it has a new uranium enrichment facility and just over a month after North Korean leader Kim Jong Il unveiled his youngest son Kim Jong Un as his heir apparent

South Korea's YTN television said two people were injured, several houses were on fire and shells were still falling on Yeonpyeong island. The station broadcast pictures of thick columns of black smoke rising from the island.

Yonhap news agency, quoting a military official, said four soldiers were wounded. President Lee Myung-bak ordered officials to make sure that the firing wouldn't escalate, according to Yonhap, quoting a presidential official. YTN said between 1,200 and 1,300 people live on the island, citing an island resident.

A South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff official said dozens of rounds of artillery landed on the island and in the sea. The official says South Korea fired back. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of JCS rules, said South Korea's military is on alert. He had no other details, and could not confirm the reports of casualties.

The firing comes amid tension over North Korea's claim that it has a new uranium enrichment facility and just over a month after North Korean leader Kim Jong Il unveiled his youngest son Kim Jong Un as his heir apparent.

Tensions between the two Koreas also remain tense after the sinking in March of a South Korean warship in which 46 sailors died. Seoul has blamed a North Korean torpedo, while Pyongyang has denied any responsibility.

The countries' western maritime boundary has long been a flash point between the two Koreas. The North does not recognize the border that was unilaterally drawn by the United Nations at the close of the 1950-53 Korean War.

North and South Korea have fought three bloody skirmishes near the maritime border in recent years, most recently in November 2009.

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2010/11/23/skorea-nkorea-fires-artillery-island/

I wonder what our "Coward in Chief" is going to do about this, let me guess...............NOTHING...........

Seems like a minimal response would be to scramble a squadron of attack jets and destroy the attacking artillery.

Maybe to teach a lesson, take out the supporting base or troops.

sure he will... he will want to organize a meeting, so both leaders can hold hands and sing koom by yah....

damn DP.....

Two Marines were killed

Yeah LP, I know, there is nothing you'd like to see more than a few more American soldiers killed in a foriegn land. Maybe you'll get lucky and Obama will actually show some spine.

I heard and read that jets were scrambled. I wonder what they did?

Ohhhh SNAP! The South (Korea) will rise again!

Ohhhh SNAP! The South (Korea) will rise again!

Let's get the story straight here....they were not US Marines, they were ROK Marines, some of the baddest warriors on the planet. Just go ask anyone that served with ROK Marines in Nam.

And yes, South Korea did retaliate. South Korea responded by firing K-9 155mm self-propelled howitzers and dispatching fighter jets.

Officials in Seoul said there could be considerable North Korean casualties. The entire skirmish lasted about an hour.

I guess war is always the best answer

If you're in a kill or be killed situation either you fight back or die.....survival of the fittest

Perhaps hussein can sit with them and discuss this over a pint.

It's not our business.

So war is not the answer.

Actually war is never the best answer.

I just watched the NBC news. The retaliation hasn't come yet (if ever). The response from S. Korea so far was only token.

N. Korea attacked a ship recently and killed 46 people. Both the US and South Korea said "Don't do it again or there will be grave consequences." They did nothing.

North Korea just did it again. South Korea and the US said "Don't do it again or there will be grave consequences." Obama recommended doing nothing.

I believe Kim Jong Ill is training his son and 'leader to be' that we are paper tigers and to show strength. They have built a large reactor for the apparent purpose to mass produce and export nukes.

They hit Japan and all bets are off!

Why? Nuclear blackmail?

Our entire Pacific Fleet should be in route, but no we have a "Coward in Cheif"

The nuclear-powered USS George Washington, which carries 75 warplanes and has a crew of over 6,000, left a naval base south of Tokyo and would join exercises with South Korea in the Yellow Sea from Sunday, U.S. officials in Seoul said.

-MSNBC News services


Of course anyone that knows anything about our Navy knows that comes with an escort.

I'm fairly confident that one of our Aircraft Carriers can obliterate the entire North Korean Air Force; Navy too for that matter.

it is our business, they are our allies, we have signed treaties with SK since the fifties... so we are just to abandon our friends in a time of need??