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DPRK fires off scores of shells

Updated: 2010-08-10 13:52

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea fired more than 100 artillery shells into waters off the west coast of the Korean Peninsula on Monday, the last day of a naval drill by the Republic of Korea in the Yellow Sea.

The shells all landed on the DPRK's side of the disputed border, said an official with the Ministry of National Defense in the ROK, and did not cause any damage.

The DPRK first fired some 10 shells over three minutes starting around 5:30 pm local time, said an official with the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the ROK. The DPRK then fired about 100 rounds between 5:52 pm and 6:14 pm, he added.

The ROK's military sent warning messages without firing warning shots in response, and it has been keeping an eye on further moves by the DPRK, according to the National Defense Ministry in Seoul.

The ROK's military drill was a show of force after Seoul accused Pyongyang of sinking its warship in March.

The DPRK denies sinking the ship and warned last week that it would take a military "physical counterattack" against Seoul's exercise.

Tensions were further inflamed over the weekend, with Seoul accusing Pyongyang of seizing an ROK fishing boat off the eastern coast of the Korean Peninsula.

The 41-ton Dae Seung 55, with four ROK crewmen and three Chinese sailors, was detained on Sunday.

Media in the ROK reported the ship presumably entered waters within the DPRK's exclusive economic zone off the east coast.

Seoul's unification ministry said there had been no word from Pyongyang since the Dae Seung 55 was seized.

"The government has urged Pyongyang to deal quickly with the case and release our crew members and their boat in accordance with international law and practice," said unification ministry spokesman Chun Hae-sung.

The ROK's coastguard said the boat was towed on Sunday to the DPRK port of Songjin.

"There have been three such cases before the latest one in recent months but the ships seized previously were sent back soon," said coastguard spokesman Ji Gun-tae. "For now, we are just waiting for news from the DPRK."

It was unclear whether the weekend seizure of the squid fishing boat was a response to the military drill or just an attempt to curb alleged illegal fishing.

A report said three Chinese crewmen were on board. The Chinese embassy in the DPRK expressed concern over the issue and was verifying the incident with authorities.

If the report is confirmed, officials said the DPRK should treat the Chinese crew well, guarantee their rights and interests, and inform the Chinese side of their condition

Questions:

1. Why did the DPRK fire the shots?

2. How many shots were fired?

3. What activity did the military show of force follow ?

Answers:

1. Show of force.

2. More than 100.

3. South Korean Military drills.

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（中國日報網英語點津 Helen 編輯）

DPRK fires off scores of shells

Todd Balazovic is a reporter for the Metro Section of China Daily. Born in Mineapolis Minnesota in the US, he graduated from Central Michigan University and has worked for the China daily for one year.

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