South Korea:Memorial services held on Yeonpyeong Island
Laaska news Nov.23,2011
People on the South Korean island of Yeonpyeong are remembering the victims of a North Korean attack.
North Korea’s military pounded the island with artillery a year ago Wednesday. 2 South Korean Marines and 2 civilians died. Yeonpyeong is located near the disputed maritime border in the Yellow Sea.
100 military officers and other people gathered at a hillside park for a memorial service for the 2 Marines. They could see North Korea in the distance. Organizers unveiled a monument bearing the portraits of the dead marines.
One of their fellow soldiers said South Korea’s military should become stronger to prevent this type of tragedy from happening again.
Following the memorial service for the 2 Marines, Yeonpyeong residents and others paid tribute to the 2 civilians who died in last year’s attack. They unveiled a monument in honor of the victims near the factory where they were working at the time of the shelling. People raised donations to pay for the monument.
South Koreans also marked the anniversary of the Yeonpyeong Island attack by holding peace rallies and marches.
A woman in her 50s said her house burned down after the attack and she fled the island by boat. She said she feels depressed even now when she thinks of that day.
Some activists marked the anniversary by releasing balloons with propaganda leaflets into the sky, floating them toward North Korea. The balloons also carried photos of the 4 people who died in the Yeonpyeong attack, along with leaflets that denounce the regime of North Korean leader Kim Jong Il and describe democracy movements in the Middle East.
NHK.
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Laaska News.
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