North and South Korea exchanged artillery fire Nov. 23 after dozens of shells fired from the North struck the South Korean island of Yeonpyeong near the countries’ disputed maritime border, reported the New York Times. Two South Korean soldiers were killed and 14 were injured, four of them seriously. The South Korean military went in to “crisis status” and fighter planes were put on alert. A spokesman for South Korean President Lee Myung-bak said Pres. Lee gathered his security-related ministers and senior aides at a crisis meeting. “We will not in any way tolerate this,” Pres. Lee’s chief spokesman, Hong Sang-pyo, said after the meeting. “Any further provocation will get an immediate and strong response and the South Korean military will strongly retaliate if there is anything further.”
