30 North Korean Seamen Killed or Wounded

The Ministry of National Defense and the Joint Chiefs of Staff have maintained the military on a high alert on the 30th and braced for an additional provocative act of North Korea.

Unlike the naval clash in 1999, however, South Korea did not raise the level of readiness and surveillance condition.

¡°We have not detected any extraordinary movements by North Korea on the West Sea,`` Commodore An Ki-sok of the Joint Chiefs of Staff told reporters, ¡°Sailors who survived the clash said that they saw more than 30 North Koreans killed or injured on the ship, which came under crossfire from South Korean warships.``

The South Korean Navy revealed the high-speed patrol boat, which was engaged in the inter-Korean skirmish and deployed a 2,500-ton salvage vessel to the site for salvage work.

Meanwhile three South Korean soldiers, who survived the West Sea battle, held a press conference and testified the situation.

ysh1005@donga.com