SEOUL, Republic of Korea- The ROK's military announced provocative new artillery drills on the front-line island shelled by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, then immediately postponed them Monday in a sign of disarray hours after the president vowed to get tough on the North.
Similar live-fire maneuvers by the ROK troops one week earlier triggered the North's bombardment that decimated parts of Yeonpyeong Island, killed four people and drew return fire in a clash that set the region on edge.
The new drills originally planned for Tuesday could have had even higher stakes: the ROK and American warships are currently engaged in separate military exercises in waters to the south.
Officials at the Joint Chiefs of Staff told The Associated Press on Monday that the latest drills were postponed after the marine unit on the island mistakenly announced them without getting final approval from higher military authorities. The cancellation had nothing to do with the DPRK, and the drills will take place later, one official said. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity, citing agency rules.
Pyongyang had warned last week that it would consider any ROK' drills off Yeonpyeong Island a deliberate provocation and territorial violation, and urged Seoul to call off last week's exercises. The artillery attack that came after the ROK went ahead with its drills killed four and injured 18 people. China Daily
