Yesterday, the North Korean People's Army (KPA) launched a military drill at an artillery base near the Northern Limit Line (NLL) which is the border between North and South Korea across the Yellow Sea. It is estimated that the KPA fired a total of 500 rounds and a hundred of those landed in an area past the NLL in South Korean sea.
Hankook Daily reported that the KPA announced the joint ROK and US armed forces about the drill before opening fire. However, the Republic of Korea navy and air force were on standby in case of possible provocations. After the bombardment of Yenpyeong Island in 2010 which resulted in the deaths of civilians and South Korean marines, extra precautions were taken for the safety of the residents of the area.
Experts provided many explanations as to why the KPA decided to fire their artillery directly towards South Korean seas. One explained that the North Koreans were aware that the U.S. and South Korean marines were planning a joint simulated landing operation near the NLL, and this may have possibly provoked the KPA.
Another analysis involved the recent capture of a North Korean fishing boat by the ROK Navy a few days previously. Although the boat with its crew were released and sent back to the north after 6 days, North Korean news reported how the fishermen were brutally interrogated and threatened with death by the South Korean navy even though the crew had ignored countless warnings from South Korean patrol boats.
The U.S. State Department announced that North Korea's actions on the 31st will do nothing but further isolate the nation from the international community. There are even estimates that North Korea will be initiating another test for their latest nuclear warheads.
