Yeonpyeongdo
37°40′0″N 125°41′47″E / 37.66667°N 125.69639°E
| Yeonpyeongdo | |
 Map of Yeonpyeong (No. 3) and other islands on the northwest coast of South Korea | |
| Korean name | |
|---|---|
| Hangul | 연평도 |
| Hanja | 延坪島 |
| Revised Romanization | Yeonpyeongdo |
| McCune–Reischauer | Yŏnpyŏngdo |
Yeonpyeong Island is a group of South Korean islands in the Yellow Sea, located about 80 km (50 mi) west of Incheon and 12 km (7.5 mi) south of the coast of Hwanghae Province, North Korea. The main island of the group is Daeyeonpyeong Island ("Big Yeonpyeong Island), also referred to simply as Yeonpyeong Island, with an area of 7.01 km2 (2.71 sq mi) and a population of around 1,300.[1] The other inhabited island is Soyeonpyeong Island ("Small Yeonpyeong Island") with a small population and an area of 0.24 km2 (0.093 sq mi).[2]
The island group constitutes Yeonpyeong-myeon, one of the subdivisions of Ongjin County, Incheon, South Korea.
Yeonpyeong Island is renowned for its kumouuri, a specialty spiced crab unavailable elsewhere in South Korea.[3]
Territorial disputes
Yeonpyeong lies near the Northern Limit Line and only 12 km (7.5 mi) from the North Korean coastline. Because of its location and the rich fishing in nearby waters, it has been a point of tension between the two Korean governments. South Korea has stationed 1000 soldiers on the islands, and two naval skirmishes have occurred nearby, in 1999 and 2002.[4][5]
On November 23, 2010, North Korean artillery began shelling Yeonpyeong and fired dozens of rounds. This incident is considered to be the most violent engagement between the two Korean militaries since the end of the Korean War in 1953. After a Northern warning to cease planned military drills near the island of Yeonpyeong, the South commenced the drill. The North bombarded the island in response to the firings related to the South's readiness-exercise and the South returned fire with air force jets and 155mm K-9 self-propelled howitzers.[6] At and near the island, damage was caused to dozens of houses, as well as Southern military infrastructure, as thick columns of black smoke were witnessed rising from the island.[7] Two South Korean marines were reportedly killed in the shelling, with three others wounded. Two civilians are reported to have been killed, with 15 others injured.[8][9][10]
References
- ^ "North Korea bombs South Korea's Yeonpyeong Island". The Telegraph. Retrieved 2010-11-23.
- ^ "Yeonpyeong Island: A history". Telegraph. Retrieved 2010-11-23.
- ^ Facker, Martin (June 23, 2009). "In Clash Between Koreas, Fishermen Feel First Bite". The New York Times. Retrieved 2010-10-02.
- ^ Herskovitz, Jon (Mar 10, 2009). "Guns and crabs at Koreas' Cold War fishing zone". Reuters. Retrieved 2010-10-03.
- ^ "합참 "우리 군 대응사격으로 북한 측 피해도 상당할 것"". Chosun Ilbo. November 23, 2010. Retrieved 2010-11-23.
- ^ Kim, Kwang-Tae (November 22, 2010). "SKorea: NKorea Fires Artillery Onto Island". Associated Press. Retrieved 2010-11-22.
- ^ "(URGENT) Four S. Korean soldiers wounded by N. Korean artillery fire: military officials". Yonhap News Agency. November 23, 2010. Retrieved 2010-11-22.
- ^ Branigan, Tania (2010-11-23). "Artillery fire on Korean border". The Guardian. Retrieved 2010-11-23.
- ^ "Artillery fire on Korean border". BBC Online. BBC. 2010-11-23. Retrieved 2010-11-23.
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