Brussels, 23/11/2010 (Agence Europe) - The European Union “strongly condemns” the attack by North Korea on Tuesday 23 November. North Korea bombed a South Korean island, killing two people and injuring 18. This action triggered reprisal shells being fired from South Korea and has led to an international outcry. Pyongyang has claimed that South Korea fired the first shot. In a press release, the EU high representative for foreign affairs, Catherine Ashton, stated: “I am deeply concerned by today's events on the Korean peninsula, which have reportedly led to casualties among South Korean military and civilians”. She called on the North Korean authorities to “refrain from any action that risks further escalation and to fully respect the Korean Armistice Agreement”.
Supporting the appeal for moderation by the South Korean president, Lee Myung-bak, Ashton declared: “We are monitoring developments closely”. The press release underlined that “peace and stability on the Korean peninsula remains essential for the region and the wider world”.
The clashes on 23 November are among some of the most serious since the Korean War (1950-1953) and have heightened tension in the peninsula. Concerns and condemnations were also expressed by MEPs such as Ioannis Kasoulides, Vice-President of the EPP Group and Jelko Kacin, ALDE, a member of the delegation for relations with the Korean peninsula. (Gp/transl.fl)