Washington - The United States urged restraint on Tuesday following a North Korean artillery attack on South Korea and vowed to forge a “measured and unified” response with major powers including China.
North Korea fired several dozen artillery shells at a South Korean island in one of the heaviest bombardments of the South since the Korean War ended in 1953, sharply increasing tensions on the divided peninsula.
South Korea warned North Korea of “enormous retaliation” if it took more aggressive steps. But the United States, which has around 28 000 troops stationed in South Korea, played down the chances of any immediate US military action to deter the reclusive state.
“We're still monitoring the situation and talking with our allies. But I wouldn't say there's anything that's been initiated as a result of the incident,” said Pentagon spokesperson Colonel Dave Lapan.
State Department spokesperson Mark Toner said the United States was seeking a unified diplomatic front with North Korea's neighbours including China, Pyongyang's sole remaining major backer which has in the past resisted international efforts to get tough with its isolated ally.
“We're not going to respond willy nilly,” he said.
The White House strongly condemned the attack. US President Barack Obama was awoken at 3.55am for an emergency briefing and was outraged over the strike, the White House said. He was due to speak with South Korean President Lee Myung-bak, White House spokesperson Bill Burton said.
“North Korea has a pattern of doing things that are provocative. This is a particularly outrageous act,” Burton said aboard Air Force One as Obama headed to Indiana to visit an auto plant.
The South fired back after Tuesday's attack and sent fighter jets to the area, but no US forces were involved in the South's response, a US official said.
Global stock markets fell in reaction to the escalating tensions. In the United States, major stock indexes such as the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell about 1.5 percent while an investor flight to safety pushed up gold and the US dollar. - Reuters