Second Battle of Yeonpyeong

A replica of PKM-357 on display at the War Memorial of South Korea

Date	29 June 2002
Location	Northern Limit Line, Yellow Sea
Result	Indecisive

Belligerents

Republic of Korea Navy

North Korea

Commanders and leaders

Yoon Yeong-ha †
Lee Hee-wan

Kim Young-sik †

Strength

2 corvettes,
4 patrol boats

2 patrol boats

Casualties and losses

1 patrol boat sunk, 6 men killed, 19 wounded

1 patrol boat severely damaged, 13 men killed, 25 wounded

The Second Battle of Yeonpyeong (Korean: 제2 연평해전, Je I(2) Yeonpyeong Haejeon) was a confrontation at sea between North Korean and South Korean patrol boats along a disputed maritime boundary near Yeonpyeong Island in the Yellow Sea in 2002. This followed a similar confrontation in 1999. Two North Korean patrol boats crossed the contested border and engaged two South Korean Chamsuri-class patrol boats. The North Koreans withdrew before South Korean reinforcements arrived.

The Northern Limit Line is considered by South Korea to be the sea boundary between itself and North Korea, while North Korea disagrees and states that the boundary is farther south. North Korean fishing vessels often wander into the area and are frequently chased away by South Korean patrol vessels. Occasionally a North Korean patrol tries to enforce its southern claim by traversing the limit line. In 2002 one such incursion turned into a naval battle along the limit line.

On 29 June 2002, a North Korean patrol boat crossed the northern limit line and was warned to turn back. Shortly afterward, a second North Korean patrol craft crossed the line and it was also warned to retreat across the line. The North Korean boats began threatening and harassing the South Korean vessels following them.

After traveling 3 miles (4.8 km) south past the limit line, the North Korean vessels attacked the two South Korean patrol boats that had been monitoring them. At 10:25, the vessel that first crossed the line opened fire with its 85 mm gun and scored a direct hit on the wheelhouse of one of the South Korean craft causing several casualties.

The two squadrons then began a general engagement. The South Koreans using their 40 and 20 mm guns against the North Korean RPGs, 85 mm, and 35 mm guns. About ten minutes later, two more patrol boats and two corvettes reinforced the South Korean vessels and severely damaged one of the North Korean craft. Now heavily outnumbered and taking casualties, the North Korean vessels retreated back across the Limit Line at 10:59.

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Wikipedia