SEOUL: On Friday, South Korea issued an evacuation order for Yeonpyeong, an island neighboring North Korea, as confirmed by a local official speaking to Reuters. The South Korean military did not immediately provide additional details upon request.
Earlier reports indicated the South Korean military’s plan to resume live-fire drills on the island. The evacuation directive was confirmed by an official from the Yeonpyeong village office, stating it was at the South Korean military’s behest. The village official mentioned that the military informed them about South Korean firing at sea following a “situation” near the border, although it remained unclear whether this involved a drill or had another cause.
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This move comes after the 2010 incident where North Korean artillery struck Yeonpyeong, resulting in four fatalities, including two civilians, in one of the most severe attacks since the Korean War’s conclusion in 1953. North Korea had previously justified its attack as a response to South Korean live-fire drills that had reportedly encroached upon its territorial waters.
