North Korea, South Korea lower combat alert level in Yellow Sea

SEOUL, January 7 (Itar-Tass) -- After several weeks of high tensions
caused by North Korea's shelling of the South Korean island of Yeonpyeong
North Korea lowered the combat alert level in the border sea area in the
Yellow Sea. The North Korean armed forces have recently cancelled an order
to introduce a high combat alert level in the border areas of the Yellow
Sea, the Yonhap news agency reported with the reference to an anonymous
source on Friday.
The South Korean armed forces and the U.S. troops deployed in South
Korea also lowered the combat alert level for North Korea, the source
said. A high combat alert and monitoring level were introduced after the
November 23 shelling of the Yeonpyeong island that killed two marines and
two civilians.
The allies are studying a possible link between North Korea's actions
with the country's recent reconciliatory steps. In a New Year
congratulatory message North Korea called for improving the relations with
South Korea and easing up tensions. On Wednesday, Pyongyang offered Seoul
to hold negotiations "without any preconditions."
North Korea has taken these steps in view of the efforts made by South
Korea and other countries, which participate in the six-nation
negotiations on making the Korean Peninsula nuclear free. North Korea
initiated the halt to these nuclear negotiations in December 2008. Along
with two Koreas the United States, China, Russia and Japan participate in
the nuclear talks.
The South Korean official authorities considered these proposals made
by North Korea as an insincere gesture and called on North Korea to make
apologies for the country's acts of military sabotage and to show a
sincere striving for abolishing the country's programs for the development
of nuclear weapons.
-0-baz