南北砲撃戦 北朝鮮の暴挙を強く非難する

The Yomiuri Shimbun (Nov. 25, 2010)
We condemn N. Korea's reckless attack on island
南北砲撃戦　北朝鮮の暴挙を強く非難する（11月24日付・読売社説）

North Korea's abrupt firing of artillery shells at an island where civilians live is a grave military provocation, which cannot be tolerated.
　民間人の住む島を突然砲撃するとは、重大な武力挑発である。断じて許せない。

The outrageous, reckless act, which could lead to a recurrence of war, is a clear violation of the 1953 armistice that halted the Korean War. We strongly criticize the act.
　戦争再発につながりかねない言語道断の暴挙であり、朝鮮戦争休戦協定への明白な違反だ。強く非難する。

In broad daylight on Tuesday afternoon, the North Korean military shelled Yeonpyeong Island in the Yellow Sea near the west coast of the Korean Peninsula. According to South Korea's announcement, at least two South Korean soldiers were killed in the incident. With black smoke billowing from several locations, local residents were forced to flee to shelters on the island or evacuate to the mainland.
　２３日の白昼、朝鮮半島の西側、黄海に浮かぶ韓国の延坪(ヨンピョン)島(ド)を、北朝鮮軍が砲撃した。韓国側の発表によると、少なくとも韓国軍兵士２人が死亡したほか、数か所から黒煙が立ち上り、住民は防空壕(ごう)や本土への避難を強いられた。

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A sea of tension

The waters around Yeonpyeong Island are known as a sea of tension. Vessels from the two countries have frequently had confrontations and exchanged fire in the area because of a dispute over where to draw a military demarcation line in the sea.
　延坪島付近は、海上の軍事境界線をめぐっての合意がないため、これまで南北の艦船が幾度も衝突し、交戦してきた緊張の海域だ。

However, the latest incident was the first time since the two countries signed the Korean War truce that the island, with a civilian population of 2,000, has been shelled by North Korea.
しかし、朝鮮戦争の休戦以来、約２０００人の住民がいる島が砲撃されたことはなかった。

North Korea justified its attack in a statement issued by its supreme military command, saying it had "taken strong military action" immediately after South Korea fired dozens of shells into North Korean territory. South Korean forces were conducting military exercises near the disputed sea border.
　北朝鮮は最高司令部の声明で、韓国軍が北朝鮮領海内に砲撃してきたために「断固たる軍事的措置を取った」と、砲撃を正当化した。韓国軍はこの日、付近海域で軍事演習を行っていた。

But whatever excuses North Korea makes, its act of targeting civilians will not be forgiven. North Korea must make clear who is responsible and punish that individual.
　だが、北朝鮮がどんな言い訳をしようとも、民間人を狙った行為は、許されるものではない。責任の所在を明らかにし、責任者を処罰してしかるべきだ。

The shelling stopped, at least for the time being, after the South Korean military returned fire. However, it remains unknown what steps North Korea will take next. We should understand that the two countries are in a critical, touch-and-go situation.
　韓国軍が反撃し、戦火はひとまずやんだが、北朝鮮の出方は不透明だ。一触即発の危機は続いていると見なければなるまい。

In March, a South Korean Navy ship was sunk by a torpedo attack in waters in the area. North Korea denied it was responsible. This time, North Korea is quite clearly responsible for the shelling. But even if there are calls for retaliation in South Korea, we urge the South Korean government to firmly restrain itself and deal with the situation in a coolheaded manner.
　付近の海域では、３月に韓国の海軍哨戒艦が魚雷攻撃で撃沈されている。ましてや今回は、北朝鮮軍による歴然たる砲撃だ。報復を求める声があがるにせよ、韓国は、ここは強く自制し、冷静に対処してもらいたい。

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Dynasty-building tactic?

The skirmish took place at a time when North Korea has begun substantial preparations for a succession at the pinnacle of its government. North Korean leader Kim Jong Il's youngest son and heir apparent, Kim Jong Un, was named vice chairman of North Korea's Central Military Commission of the Workers' Party of Korea in September, paving the way for a transfer of power to a third generation of the family.
　北朝鮮で、３代世襲が本格化している中で、今回の砲撃事件は起きた。金正日総書記の後継者の金正恩氏が、党軍事委員会副委員長に就任したばかりである。

North Korea is believed to be undertaking a series of aggressive actions during the period of power transfer, aiming to consolidate the regime's power base by reinforcing support from the military.
　この権力移行期に好戦的な行動を繰り返すのは、軍部の支持を得て権力基盤を固める狙いがあるのだろう。

The international community must stay alert against North Korea, which possesses nuclear weapons and has intensified its belligerent stance.
核兵器を持ち、好戦的な姿勢を強める北朝鮮に、国際社会は警戒を怠るべきではない。

Recently, North Korea has made every effort to attract international attention through various activities, such as construction of a light-water reactor, disclosure of its uranium enrichment activities and moves believed to be preparations for its third nuclear test.
　北朝鮮はこのところ、軽水炉の建設、ウラン濃縮活動の公開、３回目の核実験の準備と見られる動きなどによって、国際社会の注意をひくのに腐心している。

These moves are presumably intended to lead to one-on-one negotiations with the United States. But the latest incident, which broke out while Stephen Bosworth, U.S. special envoy on North Korea, was visiting South Korea, Japan and China to discuss steps to be taken to deal with North Korea, is expected to lead to the opposite result.
　米朝協議の実現が狙いだろうが、米国の特別代表が韓国、日本、中国を訪れ、今後の対応を協議している最中に起きた砲撃事件は、逆の結果をもたらすだろう。

Japan, the United States and South Korea must take all possible steps to further bolster their cooperation in order to stop North Korea's military provocations.
　日米韓は、北朝鮮の軍事的な挑発を断固阻止するために、連携を一層強化する必要がある。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Nov. 24, 2010)
（2010年11月24日01時16分 読売新聞）