North and South Korean Navies Face Off

North Korean and South Korean Navy ships fired at each other off the west coast of the Koreas, resulting in the death of one North Korean Sailor. The exchange of fire was caused by a crossing of the Northern Limit Line, which is a boarder set by the U.N., by a North Korean naval vessel according to South Korean officials. A New York Times article suggests that

North Korea may have intended for the clash to highlight its longstanding argument that the war between the Koreas from 1950-53 never officially ended and that the United States must negotiate a peace treaty if it wants North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons program, according to analysts in Seoul.

The tensions that exist between North and South Korea put a lot of strain on the two countries and also the countries surrounding them. An confrontation such as this one is frightening considering what North Korea is doing and how the country has a nuclear weapons program.