South Korea Begins New Round of Military Drills

Despite previous warnings of retaliation from North Korea, the South Korean military continued to defy the North on Wednesday by launching a three-day naval drill in the Sea of Japan and scheduling an exercise by the army and air force about 30 miles from the North-South demilitarized zone The naval exercise, scheduled to last three days, was expected to take place about 60 miles south of the maritime border in waters off the east coast of the Korean Peninsula. An official at the Defense Ministry said there would be no shelling during the drill

South Korea Conducts Live-Fire Drills Near the North

South Korea began live-fire artillery exercises in an area disputed by the North on Monday, escalating their confrontation even as an American official reported “important progress” in breaking through the North’s isolation in talks here in the North Korean capital. The South had insisted on its right to go through with the drills in the area of Yeonpyeong Island, despite threats from the North for massive military retaliation.

South Korea’s Defense Chief Resigns in Wake of Attack

President Lee Myung-bak accepted the resignation of Defense Minister Kim Tae-young on Thursday amid intense criticism over the South’s response to an artillery attack by North Korea two days earlier and the sinking of a warship in March.

North and South Korea Exchange Dozens of Artillery Shells

South Korea — North and South Korea exchanged artillery fire on Tuesday after dozens of shells fired from the North struck a South Korean island near the countries’ disputed western sea border, South Korean military officials said.

S.Korea hunts for 46 missing after warship blast

Family members of missing sailors of the sunken South Korean naval ship Cheonan cry as they arrive in front of a naval base in Pyeongtaek, South Korea yesterday. Military divers have searched in vain for the 46 marines missing since the South Korean ship exploded and sank near the tense maritime border with North Korea. Associated Press Ships and aircraft searched yesterday for 46 sailors missing after a mystery explosion tore a South Korean warship apart, as tearful relatives urged the military to work faster."My son, where are you in that cold water?" wept a woman carrying a framed photo of him as she waited for news at a navy base south of Seoul. In one of the country's worst naval disasters, the 1,200-ton corvette Cheonan with 104 crew on board sank late Friday in the Yellow Sea near the tense disputed border with North Korea.