韩国军方宣布在延坪岛举行第二轮实弹炮击演习，但是随后又取消了演习。这个演习将是重复上个星期引起北韩对这个岛发起炮击并且导致人员死亡的那次演习。
当局通过高音喇叭警告这个岛上的居民从星期二早晨开始到防空洞内寻求庇护。但是军方官员星期一夜间表示，这次演习已经被取消。他们没有提供任何解释。
在美国和韩国的海军舰只在黄海附近海域举行联合演习之际，朝鲜半岛的局势已经相当紧张。星期一早些时候，韩国总统李明博因为对北韩的袭击没有做出有力的回击向国人表示道歉。他誓言，如果北韩再次发动袭击，平壤将会“付出高昂的代价”。
北韩说，它对延坪岛发起袭击是因为韩国无视它发出的不要在这个岛附近有争议的水域发射炮弹的警告。这次袭击导致2名士兵和两个平民死亡。北韩说，任何类似这样的进一步挑衅行为都将遭到“无情的”打击。
South Korean forces announced — but then called off — a second round of live fire exercises on Yeonpyeong island — that would have repeated the drill that sparked a fatal artillery barrage on the island from North Korea last week.
Residents of the island had been warned by loudspeakers to take shelter in bunkers beginning Tuesday morning. But military officials said late Monday the drill has been canceled. They offered no explanation.
Tensions already are running high as U.S. and South Korean naval vessels conduct exercises in nearby waters in the Yellow Sea. Earlier Monday, President Lee Myung-bak apologized to the nation for the weak response to the North Korean attack and promised Pyongyang will “pay a dear price” if it attacks again.
North Korea says it attacked the island, killing two soldiers and two civilians, because the South ignored its warning not to fire into disputed waters around the island. It says any further such provocation will be met with a “merciless” attack.