SKorea warns of retaliation if North strikes again

Posted: 11.23.2010 at 5:44 AM Updated: 11.23.2010 at 8:40 AM

South Koreans watch smoke raising from South Korea's Yeonpyeong island near the border against North Korea. / AP photo

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SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korean president says Seoul will unleash an "enormous retaliation" should North Korea attack again.

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Lee Myung-bak said Tuesday that the North's "indiscriminate attack on civilians can never be tolerated."

His comments were posted on the presidential website and made during a visit to the Joint Chiefs of Staff's command and control room.

His comments came as North and South Korea exchanged artillery fire Tuesday after the North shelled an island near their disputed sea border. Two South Korean marines were killed.

THIS WAS A STORY UPDATE: Read earlier version below.

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SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea says two marines have been killed and 16 others injured in a North Korean bombardment of a South Korean island near the countries' disputed western sea border.

South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said Tuesday that it returned fire and scrambled fighter jets in response. It said the "inhumane" attack on civilian areas violated the 1953 armistice halting the Korean War. The two sides technically remain at war because a peace treaty was never negotiated.

The skirmish 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.

Barrington Broadcasting is a member of the AP Network.