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| China-Japan-Koreas |
| S. Korea to toughen military policy against N. Korean attack |
| 2010-11-25 |
| (KUNA) -- South Korea's Defense Minister Kim Tae-young said Wednesday his country's military will toughen its policy on the use of force against North Korea, in response to the North's artillery attack on Tuesday, Yonhap News Agency reported. Lawmakers grilled the defense minister during a parliamentary session in Seoul over the military's failure to have its fighter jets strike back immediately, despite the fact that the North's bombardment on a populated South Korean island was a military provocation, the report said. "We will toughen our rules of engagement to allow the military to strongly respond to" any North Korean provocations, Kim was quoted as telling politicians. On Tuesday, North Korea fired about 170 rounds of artillery on Yeonpyeong Island and the surrounding waters near the tense Yellow Sea border, with some 90 shells landing on the island. The attack resulted in the deaths of two marines and two civilians. 15 marines and at least three civilians were maimed. About 13 minutes after the North's attacks, South Korea returned fire with some 80 cannons and scrambled six fighter jets. The fighter jets, however, didn't engage because they need approval from the presidential office before unleashing counter attacks. "At that time, the fighter jets were deployed to launch counter attacks if North Korea fires more artillery," Kim said, adding that his military is reviewing changes to the rules in the direction that would require fighter jets to immediately launch an air-to-ground strike. Some politicians criticized the military for showing what they called hesitation in returning fire against the North's attack, according to the report. It took around 13 minutes for South Korean forces on Yeonpyeong to strike back with their K-9 self-propelled guns. But Minister Kim defended his military's response, insisting the front-line unit on the island acted promptly in response within the short time, given the chain of command. The minister also said he would deploy more artillery on the island. "We have six K-9 self-propelled guns at Yeonpyeong Island and we plan to deploy more of them," Kim said. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #2 The defense minister resigned. All fire positions are already laid out in NORK. Just like in Ranger School. He was not allowed to return fire. "I Quit" Both the ROK and Ameican Military are on the same page on targets inside of NORK. It's a political will issue. |
| Posted by: newc 2010-11-25 16:11 |
| #1 Six guns? Sixty would be better. And don't bother going after their artillery unless you can hit it. Hit something they care about instead. |
| Posted by: gorb 2010-11-25 01:10 |