North Korea denies artillery firing and mocks South Korea's detection capabilities
Seoul (AP): The influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un mocked South Korea's ability to detect weapons launches by the North on Sunday, as she denied Seoul's claim that North Korea fired artillery shells into the sea the previous day.
South Korea's military quickly dismissed her statement as "a low-level psychological warfare" and warned that it will make a stern response to any provocations by North Korea.
South Korea's military earlier said North Korea fired shells near the rivals' disputed western sea boundary for a second consecutive day on Saturday. The military said North Korea fired more than 60 rounds on Saturday, a day after launching more than 200 shells.
North Korea acknowledged it performed artillery firings on Friday but said it didn't fire a single round on Saturday.
Kim's sister, Kim Yo Jong, said Sunday that North Korea only detonated blasting powder simulating the sound of its coastal artillery at the seashore to test the South Korean military's detection capabilities.
"The result was clear as we expected. They misjudged the blasting sound as the sound of gunfire and conjectured it as a provocation. And they even made a false and impudent statement that the shells dropped north" of the sea boundary, Kim Yo Jong said in a statement carried by state media.
"I cannot but say that (South Korean) people are very pitiful as they entrust security to such blind persons and offer huge taxes to them," she said. "It is better 10 times to entrust security to a dog with a developed sense of hearing and smell."
Calling South Korea's military "gangsters" and "clowns in military uniforms," Km Yo Jong suggested its possible future miscalculation of North Korean moves could cause an accidental clash between the rivals, jeopardising the safety of Seoul, a city of 10 million people which is only an hour's drive from the land border.
South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff responded in a statement that it closely monitors North Korean military activities. It said North Korea must stop acts that escalate tensions, saying it will "overwhelmingly" react if North Korea launches provocations.
South Korea carried out artillery firings on Friday in response to the North's earlier firing drills. South Korea didn't perform live-firing exercises on Saturday.
Animosities between the two Koreas are running high because North Korea has conducted a barrage of missile tests since 2022 while South Korea has expanded its military training with the United States in a tit-for-tat cycle.
During their respective artillery firings on Friday, both Koreas fired shells at a maritime buffer zone they had established under a 2018 military agreement meant to ease front-line military tensions.
The agreement was meant to halt live-fire exercises and aerial surveillance along their tense border, but the deal is now in danger of collapsing because the two Koreas have taken measures in breach of the accord.
Experts say Kim Jong Un is likely to ramp up weapons tests ahead of South Korea's parliamentary elections in April and the US presidential elections in November. They say Kim Jong Un likely thinks a bolstered weapons arsenal would allow him to wrest greater US concessions when diplomacy resumes.
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Cargo ship catches fire in Karavali; Ship halts off coast near Surathkal
Fear of sinking, dangerous oil spill in sea
►Udupi and Dakshina Kannada districts on alert ►No immediate danger: Udupi DC, Coast Guard
Udupi: A massive cargo ship transporting highly flammable oil and solid materials from Mundra port in Gujarat to Colombo, Sri Lanka, caught fire in the Arabian Sea between Goa and Karwar. Currently, the ship is anchored mid-sea near Surathkal, close to Mangaluru's NMPT.
Udupi Deputy Commissioner Dr. K. Vidyakumari and Malpe Coast Guard SP Mithun H.N confirmed that the fire, which broke out on June 19, has been completely extinguished. However, the risk of the fire reigniting, potentially causing the ship to sink and spill oil into the sea, remains. This could result in significant marine pollution affecting the sea coasts of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts.
The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) deployed rescue ships and helicopters, successfully extinguishing the fire after 40 hours. There were 21 crew members on board, with one reported missing or deceased. The ICG instructed the district administrations of Karwar and Dakshina Kannada to prepare for any eventuality, including informing coastal residents and readying resources for potential pollution cleanup.
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The ship, MV M. Frankfurt, a Panama-flagged cargo container loaded with International Maritime Dangerous Goods (IMDG) category-4 flammable solids and liquids, is now anchored 33 nautical miles from Surathkal. Officials warn that if the ship sinks or catches fire again, it could lead to severe marine pollution.
District administrations have been instructed to prepare human resources and equipment for emergency situations. An expert team will visit the site to assess the ship's condition and determine the cause of the fire. Further action will be based on their report, and a tug from Sharjah is en route to tow the ship if deemed safe.
Dr. K. Vidyakumari, Udupi Deputy Commissioner, stated, "The district administration received information about the fire on a cargo ship from Gujarat, and instructions were given. We have put the Coast Guard, Fisheries Department, and Environment Department on alert to face any situation."
SP Mithun H.N. added, "The fire on the ship has been completely extinguished. There is no oil leakage at present. Stakeholders will decide on the next course of action based on the expert team's report. We are ready to face any situation."
