Huge South Korea drill likely to infuriate North

[nadinbrzezinski]

Source: Reuters (and tweeter)

(Reuters) - South Korea said it will hold its largest-ever live-fire drill near the military border with North Korea on Thursday in a huge show of force just as tension on the peninsula was easing after Pyongyang's attack on a southern island.

The drill, involving artillery, fighter jets and the largest number of personnel in a peace-time exercise, comes after the South's live-fire artillery exercise on Monday on the island of Yeonpyeong and is bound to infuriate the North.

North Korea this week offered to re-admit U.N. inspectors concerned about its nuclear-weapon program, leading to speculation of a resumption of six-party disarmament talks and a general sigh of relief around the world that the crisis had passed.

"Yes, it will be a show of force against that," an army officer said when asked if the shelling of Yeonpyeong island last month was a factor in the drill's planning.

He said similar drills had been staged previously on more than 50 occasions, but the scale this time was unprecedented

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTOE6BG05Y20101222

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Just as things were easing...

Oh and according to VOA7 on Tweeter it's started too.

RT @W7VOA: #ROK naval exercise confirmed as underway in east sea. It'll last 3 days. #Koreas

[DJ13]

1. Im starting to think the South wants a war

Or are being prodded into it by a larger "friend".

[nadinbrzezinski]

2. It's own population is tired and has been demanding

a stronger response since the Chosan was sunk.

It is not always us. There are internal dynamics there.

[RZM]

3. The US doesn't want war on the peninsula

Why on earth would they? That's the last thing this administration wants.

[robcon]

4. Gee... what a provocation!

The North is laughably strident and thin-skinned after threatening nuclear war.

[Phoonzang]

5. Probably for the best that they do this.

The South needs to demonstrate that they're serious this time so the North doesn't simply pull some other murderous stunt a couple of months from now when they want attention.