UPDATED: North Korea Attacks South Korean Island with Artillery

North and South Korea have been in a continuing dispute over a western border which is near the island attacked.

UPDATED - Today President Barack Obama reaffirmed America's pledge to defend South Korea. In an interview with ABC News, the President noted that the U.S. currently has 24,000 troops in-country but no action would be taken without consultation with nation's president.

Today's artillery shelling was one of the strongest attacks by North Korea since the Korean War which ended in 1953.

North Korean officials claimed that Seoul started the fight, conducting military exercises in the area. South Korea acknowledged the activity but stated that no firing was done in the direction of North Korea.

Tuesday's aggression caused world markets to skid, as tension between the two Asian countries was added to an already bleak outlook in other areas of the world, such as Ireland.

WASHINGTON, DC (Catholic Online) - On Tuesday, North Korea fired artillery onto the South Korean island of Yeonpyeong, located near the western border that is currently under dispute between the two countries. South Korea returned fire and scrambled their Air Force as smoke began to rise from the island that houses military installations and a small civilian population.

Prior to the attack, North Korea had warned the South to halt military drills taking place in the area. The warnings were not heeded as artillery continued to fire into the waters of the disputed area but in a direction away from North Korea. At least two South Korean marines were killed, sixteen others are reported injured.

Amid these recurring tensions, South Korean officials condemned the bombardments as "inhumane atrocities" and has promised enormous retaliation if they are attacked again.

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