N. Korea attacks southern island of S. Korea

[The Johnny]

North Korea today made a series of artillery shots towards a south-korean island locaed in the border zone of the Yellow Sea which caused injuries to at least 14 soldiers, informed the south-korean agency Yonhap.

According to military sources from south-korea consulted by Yonhap, north korea shot about 50 rounds of artillery around 14:24 local time that impacted the island of Yeongpyeong and waters of South Korea.

Supposedly there was a big show with fighters patrolling and whatnot.

[Cain]

Yeah, shits going down.

Maybe Jong-il is more ill than widely believed?  Military is acting now to lock Jong-un into a hostile relationship with South Korea, to assure their power base once Jong-il is dead?

[The Johnny]

Supposedly Russia and China are freaking out, let me find it.

[Cain]

Everyone is.  This is a very serious violation of the truce, one of the most serious I can recall (and we're talking about a nation which once built a tunnel capable of holding regiments worth of troops under the Seoul, and blew up nearly the entire South Korean cabinet in Burma).  China wants in on a new, more open North Korea which wont happen if a war kicks off.  Not sure of Russia's stake in this, but they cant be happy with a shooting war either.

[The Johnny]

OH THIS MIGHT BE INTERESTING

The norkorean attack coincides with the visit of the special representative of the USA for north-korea, Stephen Bosworth, whom starts today a trip of two days to Pekín, during which he will interview with the vice-minister of External Affairs, Cui Tiankai, and the special representative for the korean conflict, Wu Dawei.

So maybe its a "were not pussy-footing with American diplomats" ?

[Cain]

Definitely figures into in.  Six nation talks have also been suspended.

[Prince Glittersnatch III]

In other news, M*A*S*H* season 12 has been greenlit.

[geekdad]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-11818729

Goes over reason this could have been done.

[Suu]

Yeah, shits going down.

Maybe Jong-il is more ill than widely believed?  Military is acting now to lock Jong-un into a hostile relationship with South Korea, to assure their power base once Jong-il is dead?

I thought Jong-Un isn't believed to be as hostile?

[Prince Glittersnatch III]

Yeah, shits going down.

Maybe Jong-il is more ill than widely believed?  Military is acting now to lock Jong-un into a hostile relationship with South Korea, to assure their power base once Jong-il is dead?

I thought Jong-Un isn't believed to be as hostile?

If I understand correctly no one really knows much about him.

[Elder Iptuous]

Cain, what do you think the US response will be if all out hostilities were to erupt?

[AFK]

I know I'm not Cain, but I think it would maybe hinge partly on how close NK ordinances land on our bases in SK.  I mean, I think it all boils down to Obama.  He's played the hawk with the drones and Afghanistan but I wonder how quick he would be to get involved in this theater. 

[Elder Iptuous]

it's scary as hell to think about, is all i know...

[Richter]

I'm no Cain either, but this isn't agression, this is attention getting of the toddler variety.

[Dysnomia]

there goes the neighborhood.