Here, I've transalted a piece of what I believe is official response of DPRK. It's kinda entertaining, I've tried to preserve this proclamational, overly theatrical language that came to us directly from the 50s =)

Back in this year's summer, the KPA commanders in the area of the western front have officially warned the South Korean pro-American puppets and their masters, the U.S., that attempts to arrange a firing practice, including mobilization of land and sea forces fraught with serious consequences. These noisy firing practice are not just military exercises, but an open aggression towards territorial waters of our sacred Republic and political provocation, that strive to defend the illegal "Northern Limit Line."

DPRK at the same time brought to the attention of the world that in response to the situation the command of the KPA made a firm decision to crush reckless firing practice of clan of national traitors with powerful counterattacks. Puppets' shooting practice in the Korea Bay are even more insane because the islands, where "armed forces" of clan of national traitors are based, are integral part of the DPRK. These islands located far north of the demarcation line. DPRK, which never recognized the "right" of puppets on integral part of its territory, believed that a total demilitarization of the area is possible. Instead pro-American puppets and their masters, the U.S., built up its own military presence in the area of the DPRK islands, arranging many intrigues and provocations.

The fire that has been opened by puppets in the past hours was the last straw. This is an attack on the DPRK, the betrayal of compatriots and the outbreak of war against neighbour.

Every Korean knows how during the Patriotic Liberation War battles took place near the island of Volmi. At the time soldiers of the KPA artillery batteries died, but at the cost of their lifes detained U.S. marines, giving the front the most important time. Volmi spirit is the holy spirit of the KPA, which does not allow anyone to encroach on people's Korea. Patience of the Korean people has it's boundaries and these boundaries can be crossed at any time.

Dirty Commies.

just read something on MSN that said "South Korea vows retaliation after some civilian casualties were found" or something to that nature. just kinda skimmed the title and caption. gonna read the full article later. this could very bad.

Read that too. I hope that SK does retalliate to prove to the North that they have teeth and can fight back. Would be great if they hit them hard in command & control centers, and did so without the North being able to fire back...Would scare dear leader if they were vunerable to air strikes due to a lack of moddern AAA.

Coll thing is, if you are an impartial observer who just got here and read it all as being true they seem pretty choerent.

The problem is that the Northern Limit Line has been established for over 50 years now. Only the DPRK believes that the islands in question are theirs.

These are lines that were established and confirmed INTERNATIONALLY. If North Korea has a problem with the zones, they should take it to the UN, not through shelling an island and killing civilians. The article totally fails to mention that they did not attack the Korean military, they fired on civilian areas. They were only a few meters away from destroying a school with CHILDREN in it.

Yes, it stands up as being 'sane' when you fail to do any research.

That's exactly what I said, "if you... just got here and read it all as being true".

I'm by no means "on their side" or anything like that. I know they attacked civilians and all and I don't like it.

I also don't like that the military manouver training was made there and close to civilians knowing this could happen, as I understand it was (might be wrong here). But yeah, "not on their side".

Anyway, that said, that line kinda sucks you know, was there maybe a lot of pressure involved when they acepted?

When Obama says we are going to run "Joint operations" with Korea later this month....

He means like, just wargames and patrols right?  Not actual bombings?

Yes, I agree that the line is a little bit pro-South Korea. However, if the North has a problem with it, they need to pressure South Korea via the UN, not artillery batteries. Its kind of like Israel and the palestinian territories...You can't win land through bombs all the time. Especially when 95% of the world hates you.

It's more than "a little bit" :P

The northest island is, what, over 5 times closer to North Korean shores than to South Korea's North. The intention of this line is obvious, and I doubt they've actually had much of a choice when approving it.

I don't agree with them on this, but really, you should expect their mentality to be "no, that's not a good line, it's completly unfair and arbitrary and our line makes sense and we never really liked it.." (nothing really wrong up to now) "...so we're just gonna act like our line is the true one. We're not gonna bow down to their system and discuss this. Danm pigs and traitors".

If they really said "we're gonna attack if you do this", then the south put them in a position they had to attack or loose bargaining power, and I'm sure they all can see this if it's indeed the case. I'd be pretty pissed if another country I'm not in good terms with made military maneuvers on my shores (really, it might not be their shores politically and all but give anyone a map without the lines and ask "whoose shores are these" :P). It does sound kind of like a pissing contest. it's not like they couldn't train somewhere else.

But I do agree with that's what they should have done. Then again, if you ask me, they shouldn't even be in a position to have to make this choice to begin with, so it doesn't really matter. The point is their action was to be expected knowing who you're dealing with and the situation they are in. Now, I could use just about the same words to describe the actions on the part of South Korea and USA.

Anyway, just hope it won't turn into an actual war.