North Korea threatened Thursday to punish South Korea after their first naval skirmish in seven years, as Seoul expressed confidence it can deter any retaliation from its communist neighbor, AP reported. The two Koreas clashed at sea Tuesday for the first time in seven years, with each side accusing the other of violating the disputed western sea border and firing first. The fighting came ahead of a planned visit to South Korea next week by President Barack Obama. South Korean officials claimed victory, saying a North Korean ship suffered heavy damage during the two-minute battle. They said a South Korean ship was lightly damaged and there were no casualties on their side. A senior military officer told The Associated Press on Wednesday that one North Korean officer was killed and three others wounded. On Thursday, the North"s main Rodong Sinmun newspaper said in a commentary that it will not tolerate what it claimed was South Korea"s dispatch of navy ships into its territorial waters and firing at a North Korean vessel. Anther state newspaper, Minju Joson, also warned that South Korea would face «costly consequences.» It said the clash stemmed from a plot by the South to disrupt direct talks that are planned between Pyongyang and Washington by inspiring anti-North Korea sentiment among American officials. -- SPA
