(1953-Present)
The Korean War (1950-1953) officially never really
ended. The warr's major fighting ended with an armistice
signed on July 27, 1953 between North Korea and its foes,
South Korea and the United Nations. Over the 50-plus
years, numerous border battles, clashes, incidents,
espionage thrillers, assassination attempts, and
terrorist acts have occurred between North and South
Korea, often involving American forces as well.
The U.S. maintains 28,500 troops defending South Korea
and a treaty obligation to aid the South in the event of
war with North Korea.
Below is a partial listing of some of those incidents
of violence between North and South Korea in recent
years.
The Sinking of the South Korean
Warship Cheonan --March 26, 2010-The South Korean
naval ship, the Cheonan, was exploded and sank on March
26, 201o, killing 45 South Korean sailors. South Korea
blames the sinking of the ship on a North Korean torpedo
launced from a North Korean submarine. North Korea denies
any involvement with the sinking of the South Korean
ship, and threatened "all out war" if South Korea
retaliates.
Sources:
South
Korea on alert as tension grows over patrol boat
sinking: South Korea's president expected to refer
sinking of vessel to UN security council--May
22, 2010, Times Online
‘All
out war’ threatened over North Korea attack on
warship Cheonan --May 20, 2010, Times
Online
South
Korea Says North Sank Warship--Wall Street
Journal, May 19, 2010
ROKS
Cheonan (PCC-772)--Wikipedia article on the
Cheonan
Naval clash
between North and South Korean Navies --November 09,
2009- A North Korean naval vessel entered South Korean
waters, refused to return to the North, and then was
brought under fire by the South Korean navy. The North
Korean ship was partially destroyed, and managed to
escape back across the Naval Limit Line, which is the
sea-border between the Koreas. Perhaps not
coincidentally, the Northern incursion came only days
before U.S. President Barack Obama was due to visite East
Asia.
Capture of S. Korean fishing
boat --July 29, 2009- North Korean naval forces
seized a South Korean fishing vessel early on the morning
of July 29, 2009, after it accidentally strayed into
North Korean waters. The South Korean governement asked
the Pyongyang regime to release the fishing boat and to
return the four crewmen. The captured ship is 29 tons and
is called the "800 Yeonan." The South claims the ship
strayed into North Korean waters due to a satellite
navigation system error or malfunction.
Korean Border Tension
--January, 2009-North and South Korea both
mobilized their military forces in response to verbal
threats and posturing related to North Korea's statement
that it has "weaponized" plutonium in its nuclear
warheads.
Sources:
SKorea
army on alert after North's military
threat--Jan. 18, 2009, Associated Press
Researcher:
North Korea has `weaponized' plutonium--Jan.
17, 2009, Associated Press
Korean Naval Border Clash
--June 28, 2002-North and South Korean naval
vessels fought a twenty-minute gun battle in which 4
South Korean sailors died and 18 wounded near Yeonpyeong
island in the Yellow Sea. A South Korean frigate was sunk
and a North Korean vessel sustained damage.
Japanese Sinking of Spy
Ship-Dec. 21 and 22, 2001-The Japanese Coast Guard
chased a suspected spy ship and sank it. Crewmembers of
the spy ship fired on the Japanese ships, wounding two
Coast Guard sailors. Spy ship crew all believed dead.
Japan supects the ship was North Korean.
Korean Border Clash
--Nov. 27, 2001--The first cross-border shooting
of 2001 between North and South Korea. North Korean
troops fired several shots at a South Korean guard post.
Fire was returned by the South Koreans.
Korean Naval Border Clash
(June 1999) --Six North Korean patrol boats
repeatedly cross the Yellow Sea maritime border over the
course of nine days, prompting an exchange of fire
between the North and South Koreans. South Korea says 20
to 30 North Korean sailors are killed, while seven South
Korean sailors were wounded.
North Korean Terrorist Bombing
of South Korean Airliner (November 1987)-- Bombing
of South Korean airliner kills 115 passengers and crew.
Two North Korean spies found responsible.
Nuclear
Tensions
North Korean Nuclear Test
--October 9, 2006--North Korea conducted its first
nuclear test
North Korean Nuclear Test
--May 23, 2009--North Korea claims to have
conducted its second nuclear test
Korean Nuclear
Tensions Resources:
Q+A-What's
the real threat of N.Korea's nuclear
programme?--Reuters, May 24, 2009
2006
North Korean Nuclear Test--Wikipedia
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