President calls emergency meeting of security ministers over naval clash

By Byun Duk-kun
SEOUL, Nov. 10 (Yonhap) -- President Lee Myung-bak convened an emergency meeting
of security-related ministers Tuesday after a naval clash between the two Koreas
off the west coast.

"The president called the meeting as soon as he received reports of the clash,"
Park Sun-kyoo, a spokesman for the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae, told
reporters, adding the meeting began at 1:30 p.m.
The armed clash erupted shortly after 11:30 a.m. in what Seoul's Prime Minister
Chung Un-chan characterized as an "accidental" clash.
"Today's clash took place as the North Korean side disregarded our verbal
warnings and warning shots and directly attacked our speedboats," the prime
minister said while answering questions at a parliamentary interpellation
session.
"It was an accidental clash, so we ask the people to have confidence in our
military and government and carry on with their daily lives as usual," he said.
bdk@yna.co.kr
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