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| 2 Koreas, After Exchanging Fire, Rearm With Insults | 2 Koreas, After Exchanging Fire, Rearm With Insults |
| (5 months later) | |
| SEOUL, South Korea — A day after exchanging artillery fire across their disputed sea border, North and South Korea hurled insults at each other on Tuesday, with the North rejecting an ambitious overture from the South’s president, Park Geun-hye. | |
| In a speech in Dresden, Germany, that was broadcast live in South Korea on Friday, Ms. Park promised a huge investment in North Korea’s decrepit industries, as well as humanitarian aid for babies and nursing mothers, if the North gave up its nuclear weapons program. | In a speech in Dresden, Germany, that was broadcast live in South Korea on Friday, Ms. Park promised a huge investment in North Korea’s decrepit industries, as well as humanitarian aid for babies and nursing mothers, if the North gave up its nuclear weapons program. |
| Although Ms. Park’s proposal largely reiterated what her three predecessors had proposed, it was her most detailed overture toward the North since she came to office shortly after the North conducted a nuclear test in February 2013. | Although Ms. Park’s proposal largely reiterated what her three predecessors had proposed, it was her most detailed overture toward the North since she came to office shortly after the North conducted a nuclear test in February 2013. |
| On Tuesday, the state-controlled North Korean newspaper Rodong Sinmun scoffed at Ms. Park’s speech, calling the unmarried South Korean leader an “eccentric old spinster” and “a frog in a well.” It said her overture was “full of deception” and “filth” and was aimed at destroying the North Korean government. | On Tuesday, the state-controlled North Korean newspaper Rodong Sinmun scoffed at Ms. Park’s speech, calling the unmarried South Korean leader an “eccentric old spinster” and “a frog in a well.” It said her overture was “full of deception” and “filth” and was aimed at destroying the North Korean government. |
| South Korea immediately responded, condemning the North for using “expressions even street ruffians would refrain from.” | South Korea immediately responded, condemning the North for using “expressions even street ruffians would refrain from.” |
| “North Korea must realize that by the way it is behaving, it will attain nothing and will only deepen its isolation,” the government in Seoul said in a statement. | “North Korea must realize that by the way it is behaving, it will attain nothing and will only deepen its isolation,” the government in Seoul said in a statement. |
| North Korea stoked tensions on the divided Korean Peninsula last spring by threatening to launch nuclear strikes at Washington and Seoul. In the past few months, it had been moving to ease the tensions, but in recent weeks it conducted a series of short-range and midrange missile tests. | North Korea stoked tensions on the divided Korean Peninsula last spring by threatening to launch nuclear strikes at Washington and Seoul. In the past few months, it had been moving to ease the tensions, but in recent weeks it conducted a series of short-range and midrange missile tests. |
| Then on Sunday, North Korea threatened to carry out a “new form of nuclear test.” On Monday, it fired 500 artillery shells and rockets off its southern coast, with 100 of them falling south of a disputed sea border between North and South Korea. The South fired back, pounding North Korean waters with 300 artillery rounds. | Then on Sunday, North Korea threatened to carry out a “new form of nuclear test.” On Monday, it fired 500 artillery shells and rockets off its southern coast, with 100 of them falling south of a disputed sea border between North and South Korea. The South fired back, pounding North Korean waters with 300 artillery rounds. |
| The tensions continued on Tuesday, with the South Korean military saying it was investigating an unidentified drone that crashed on Baengnyeong Island, in South Korean waters near where the exchange of fire occurred. The drone was first spotted by an islander on Monday. | The tensions continued on Tuesday, with the South Korean military saying it was investigating an unidentified drone that crashed on Baengnyeong Island, in South Korean waters near where the exchange of fire occurred. The drone was first spotted by an islander on Monday. |
| “We have collected its debris for investigation,” said a spokesman for the South Korean Ministry of National Defense who spoke on the condition of anonymity, citing ministry policy. “We are looking into all possibilities, including the possibility that it came from the North.” | “We have collected its debris for investigation,” said a spokesman for the South Korean Ministry of National Defense who spoke on the condition of anonymity, citing ministry policy. “We are looking into all possibilities, including the possibility that it came from the North.” |
| The spokesman declined to provide further details. But the South Korean news agency Yonhap quoted an unidentified government official as saying that the drone was 6.5 to 10 feet long and carried a small camera. The drone had a Japanese engine and Chinese components, it said. | The spokesman declined to provide further details. But the South Korean news agency Yonhap quoted an unidentified government official as saying that the drone was 6.5 to 10 feet long and carried a small camera. The drone had a Japanese engine and Chinese components, it said. |
| North Korea unveiled what appeared to be drones during recent military parades in its capital, Pyongyang. In March last year, its news media showed the country’s leader, Kim Jong-un, watching drones attack targets during a military drill. | North Korea unveiled what appeared to be drones during recent military parades in its capital, Pyongyang. In March last year, its news media showed the country’s leader, Kim Jong-un, watching drones attack targets during a military drill. |
| Mr. Kim was quoted as saying at the time that the drones were intended to be used to attack targets in South Korea. | Mr. Kim was quoted as saying at the time that the drones were intended to be used to attack targets in South Korea. |