On November 23, 2010, North Korea bitterly bombarded a small island near the North Korea mainland, which belongs to South Korea. Two South Korean marines were killed while 15 troops and 3 civilians were injured in the shelling.

The aim of North Korea is to create nuclear weapons as leverage to negotiate with the U.S. and obtain economic support and recognition of the Kim Jong Il regime. However the U.S. has refused negotiations with North Korea since 1994.

The cause of this incident is that the North Korean leader Kim Jong Il is worried about his health and appointed his youngest son, Kim Jong Un six weeks ago as his heir.

North Korea has been steadily developing nuclear weapons and has carried out repeated nuclear tests. Recently North Korea revealed a new uranium enrichment facility to a visiting American nuclear scientist.

This incident may be construed as a way to restart negotiations between the U.S. and North Korea. If the U.S. ignores this tacit intention, North Korea may escalate and provoke a new attack on Japan. Therefore it is indispensable for Japan to prepare missile defenses against North Korea.

The United Nations Security Council should condemn North Korea and take sanctions against the illegal attack as soon as possible. South Korea, the U.S. and Japan have to cooperate with each other in order to create stability in the region.

Moreover it is vitally important for China to persuade the North to abandon nuclear weapons and join the international society.
China hopes that North Korea will abandon their nuclear weapons but fears that this may result in the collapse of North Korea.

China doesn't want such a result and will continue giving economic support to North Korea. North Korea will also undoubtedly reject abandoning their nuclear weapons program.
Military tension in North East Asia will continue.