N. Korea again designates 'naval firing zones' near sea border with South

(ATTN: RECASTS headline, lead; REWRITES throughout)
By Tony Chang
SEOUL, Feb. 3 (Yonhap) -- North Korea has again temporarily designated two areas
near the western maritime border with South Korea as "naval firing zones,"
raising the possibility of further artillery shelling in the Yellow Sea, informed
sources, citing defense officials, said Wednesday.

During a government-ruling party meeting held at the National Assembly, senior
Defense Ministry officials briefed lawmakers that the communist country has
designated an additional four-day "naval firing period" for the two zones -- east
of the islands of Baengnyeong and Daecheong.-- effective from Feb. 5, according
to sources privy to the meeting.
"It is possible that the North may show further provocations considering the
redesignation of the naval firing zone," the official said.
As part of its regular military drill, North Korea last week declared the two
areas near the Northern Limit Line (NLL), the defacto maritime borer, in the
Yellow Sea as naval firing zones from Jan. 25-29 during which it fired some 350
artillery shells into the zones arbitrarily.
The country also declared five additional no-sail zones over the weekend,
according to South Korean military sources Monday. The country announced that the
military exercise will end on March 29.
The NLL was drawn by the U.S.-led U.N. Command at the end of the Korean War and
the communist North has refused to honor it. The two sides fought bloody
skirmishes near the border in 1999, 2002 and in November last year.
Analysts here say the latest provocations by Pyongyang indicate an attempt to
increase its leverage as it prepares to return to six-party
denuclearization-for-aid talks, which include South Korea, the United States,
Japan, Russia and China.
odissy@yna.co.kr
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