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S Korean president convenes emergency meeting
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-11-10 19:31

SEOUL: South Korean President Lee Myung-bak on Tuesday convened an emergency meeting to discuss with security-related ministers on the naval clash with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae said.

S Korean president convenes emergency meeting
South Korean presidential spokesman Park Sun-kyoo (L, front) speaks at a press conference in Seoul, capital of South Korea, Nov. 10, 2009. [Xinhua]
S Korean president convenes emergency meeting

During the meeting held upon receiving the report of the clash, Lee instructed the military to react decisively but also remain calm to make sure the situation does not develop to worse, Cheong Wa Dae said in a statement.

The meeting mainly focused on the impact the naval clash will leave on relations between Seoul and Pyongyang, it added.

According to South Korea's Joint Chief of Staff (JCS), a DPRK patrol ship crossed South Korea's Northern Limit Line (NLL) around local time 11:28 am (0228 GMT) near Baekryoung Island, leading the South Korean Navy to fire warning shots for around 15 minutes.

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As the DPRK vessel, ignoring the warnings, continued to sail into the southern territory, the South Korean Navy fired additional shots, it said.

The DPRK side is reportedly to have started countering shots at 11:37 am (0237 GMT), and the clash lasted about 3 minutes, according to the JCS.

"No casualty has been reported on the South Korean side, and the North Korean (DPRK) vessel returned back after getting half- destructed at the clash," local media said, quoting the JCS.

Meanwhile, the Prime minister Chung Un-chan told a parliamentary interpellation session on Tuesday that the clash was an accidental event, calling the public to have confidence in the government and the military.

DPRK on Tuesday demanded South Korea to apologize for the clash, state media said.

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