By Lee Hyo-sik
Residents of Yeonpyeong Island on the disputed maritime border in the West Sea breathed a collective sigh of relief as the military live-fire drills near the island ended without further clashes.
Until the drills finished, the residents were gripped by fears of another attack on the island, waiting at underground air-raid shelters Monday.
The atmosphere was tense until late afternoon. Those living on four other islands, just south of the Northern Limit Line (NLL), were also instructed to go to nearby air-raid shelters in case of possible military retaliation from the North, while ferries connecting the islands and Incheon were ordered to stop operating for the day.
About 270 residents, government officials and reporters staying on Yeonpyeong Island fled to a total of 13 air-raid shelters as of 9:50 a.m., following a mandated order announced through loudspeakers installed throughout the island. “A maritime firing drill is scheduled to take place today. All residents are required to bunker down in nearby shelters,” the broadcast blared.
Those on other islands were also ordered to hide in shelters ahead of the drill, which started at 2:30 p.m. and lasted for about 90 minutes. Residents brought clothes, drinking water and other daily necessities to the shelter with them in case they had to stay longer than expected. They were also given gas masks and emergency food rations by marines.
Most residents remained uneasy about the military drill, hoping that North Korea would not respond to the South’s exercise. The communist state has repeatedly warned that its military would retaliate if the South holds the maritime drill.
About 1,000 former Yeonpyeong residents, who have moved to unsold public housing units of the Land & Housing Corp. in Gyeonggi Province, expressed concerns that the military exercise may provoke the North to fire shells at the island again.
“If shells fall on Yeonpyeong Island again, I don’t think I will ever be able to return. I am extremely nervous about what will happen as a result of the artillery exercise,” one resident said.
Another resident blamed the government for provoking the Stalinist state, arguing the drill could cause a full-blown war on the Korean Peninsula. “A full-scale military confrontation could break out if the inter-Korean relation continue to deteriorate. I am just hoping that nothing happens this time.”