U.S. Condemns North Korea's 'Belligerent' Attack on South

Published November 23, 2010|FoxNews.com
AP
The White House condemned North Korea's "belligerent" artillery attack Tuesday against a small South Korean island, a strike that left at least two dead and set dozens of buildings on fire.

The attack on the island of Yeonpyeong was the latest in an escalating series of provocations from the communist country which is preparing for a leadership succession. South Korean officials said the North launched the attack after warning the country to halt military drills in the area.

White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs issued a pre-dawn statement saying Washington is "in close and continuing contact with our (South) Korean allies" about the situation.

"The United States strongly condemns this attack and calls on North Korea to halt its belligerent action and to fully abide by the terms of the Armistice Agreement," Gibbs said. "The United States is firmly committed to the defense of our ally, the Republic of Korea, and to the maintenance of regional peace and stability."

President Obama recently returned from a trip to South Korea and other Asian countries. A senior administration official said the president was woken up shortly before 4 a.m. by National Security Adviser Tom Donilon, who updated the president on the attack. Obama will get further updates during his daily intelligence briefing before heading to Indiana, where he's scheduled to make remarks on the economy.

Capt. John Kirby, spokesman for Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Mike Mullen, said Mullen has also been kept "fully aware" of the North Korean attack.

"He is in close contact with our commanders in the region and is keeping the secretary of defense informed," Kirby said.

The attack came amid high tension over North Korea's claim that it has a new uranium enrichment facility and just six weeks after North Korean leader Kim Jong Il unveiled his youngest son Kim Jong Un as his heir apparent.

On Monday, State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley told reporters the administration is studying the evidence a group of visiting American scientists used to conclude the North was building the enrichment facility, which presumably could be used to produce fuel for nuclear weapons.

"We will not be drawn into rewarding North Korea for bad behavior," he said. "They frequently anticipate doing something outrageous or provocative and forcing us to jump through hoops as a result. We're not going to buy into this cycle."

The North's artillery on Tuesday struck the small South Korean-held island of Yeonpyeong, which houses military installations and a small civilian population and which has been the focus of two previous deadly battles between the Koreas.

After the North's barrages, South Korea responded by firing self-propelled howitzers, but an official at South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff declined to say whether North Korean territory was hit.

Earlier this month, during a speech to U.S. troops stationed in South Korea, Obama said: "Pyongyang should not be mistaken: The United States will never waver in our commitment to the security of the Republic of Korea. We will not waver."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.