Warning shots fired at Korea border (Reuters)

[Up2Late]

(This can't be good.)

Warning shots fired at Korea border

Sat Oct 7, 2006 4:04am ET161

SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korean troops fired warning shots on Saturday after five North Korean soldiers briefly crossed into the southern side of the demilitarized zone (DMZ) dividing the two, South Korea's joint chiefs of staff said.

The skirmish comes amid rising tension on the peninsula after Pyongyang said on Tuesday it planned to conduct a nuclear test.

"Our troops fired warning shots at the five North Korean soldiers after they climbed over the military demarcation line despite several loudspeaker warnings," the military command said in a statement.

It said they went about 30 metres (yards) across the line at around 0415 GMT and returned after the shots were fired.

(more at link) <http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=topNews&storyid=2006-10-07T080335Z_01_T67025_RTRUKOC_0_US-KOREA-NORTH-SHOTS.xml>

[Poll_Blind]

1. This happens on occasion. Sometimes Koreans are killed. But...

...it's not usually the cause for much concern, at least in the "Could this lead to WW III?" kind of way.

  Then again, WW I was arguably caused by 7 assassins all who failed on their first attempt and fled. One of them, while getting a spot to eat, saw the intended victim (Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria) on his way to visit the wounded at a nearby hospital. While the driver was backing up, the assassin kiled him setting off a dreadful chain of events.

  You just never know. :shrug:

PB

[INdemo]

7. Ok. So.It happens quite frequently ,,My first thought

its just never reported.But they decided to report it this time Why?

[bhikkhu]

16. Axis of evil thing, and the recent nuclear test announcement

No telling whether they were troops (as if armed troops would get far) or just people looking to gather some duck eggs, or who knows what.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

22. Step right up! place you're bets! Which will it be - Iran or South Korea

Which "Great Threat" will b*sh invade next?

North Korea will not sit idly by if we cause trouble with SK, in spite of their differences, they have no desire for a war next door.

[AngryOldDem]

14. Hard to say how serious this is

At any rate, the timing of this sucks. And I can see a WWIII scenario stemming from something like this. (Not saying that it's all that likely, mind you, but certainly plausible.)

[acmejack]

2. But sometimes they have a future!

Sometimes they don't...

[ClintonTyree]

3. Their frisbee probably flew over the wall.

You don't invade another country with 5 soldiers. I take that back. Bush would.

[AzDar]

6. LOL ! n/t

[bronxiteforever]

8. ROFLMAO!!!

[NeoConsSuck]

21. You're close

another news outlet said they might have been going fishing on a nearby river.

[katinmn]

4. Who was provoking who?

NK soldiers crossed over at a time when SK is making a big show of testing nuclear weapons and seems itching to start something.

Rather stupid.

What will it be next time?

[BlueCollar]

9. SK is making a show of testing mukes?

I've been on vacation. Did I mis something?

[Up2Late]

10. No, it NK who's making the big show by Nesting Tukes!

Or at least saying they will in a few weeks.

[Show_Me _The_Truth]

12. Wow?

Are you allowed to vote? Hope not.

[katinmn]

17. welcome to DU

[Show_Me _The_Truth]

19. Thanks

Sorry for snide comment, bad day.

We just need to be careful make sure we understand the facts so that we sound like we know what we are talking about when debating points and not giving Repugs talking points about how Progressives don't understand the world around them.

[Show_Me _The_Truth]

20. Double Post Sorry

Self Delete

[Ian David]

5. Maybe they were trying to defect? Or smuggling something? n/t

[lonestarnot]

11. Someone trying to crap on our side w/o TP and a shovel?

[madrchsod]

13. one of the guys i grew up with was on the border

back in the early 60`s and this happened a lot. usually it was just throwing gernades at night to keep everyone awake..

[Longhorn]

15. My son is stationed in Japan so it's hard not to worry about reports

like this, especially with the Idiot Boy as president.

[Glib Acumen]

18. Radio North Korea

Voice of Korea

You can listen to shortwave radio broadcasts in English to North America and Europe

North Korea Voice of Korea 1300-1600 UTC 9335, 7570, 11710, 12015 kilohertz

I heard one broadcast where the speech of their dictator was spoken in English.
If I hear a broadcast this week, I will take notes to post here.

[MGD]

23. I have a hard time imagining NK soldiers crossing the border w/o orders

from very high up. I'll chalk this one up as brinkmanship for now.