Updated on
Summary
South Korea has suspended delivery of pledged aid to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) following its artillery barrage on a South Korean island.The package of aid, including the first government-financed rice aid in years, was meant to help the DPRK cope with flood damages sustained in August. 5,000 tons of rice, three million cups of instant noodles and 3,000 tons of cement have already reached the northwestern DPRK city of Sinuiju. An emergency meeting was called by South Korea's president Lee Myung-bak, shortly after the attack, where he cautioned against escalating the situation. The clash comes as South Korea holds a massive annual military exercise involving 70-thousand troops. The drill began Monday and will last until November 30th. The artillery exchange also came shortly after Pyongyang's disclosure of a new and sophisticated facility to enrich uranium.
