South Korea has let its northern neighbor know that it is prepared to answer any “further provocations” with missiles, after North Korea’s shell attack on an island near the border of the two countries killed two South Korean marines, according to the BBC. –KA

BBC:

US President Barack Obama called the incident an “outrageous, provocative act” by Pyongyang.

He was speaking ahead of an expected telephone call to President Lee.

The South Korean military had been carrying out an exercise near Yeonpyeong island, and the North accused the South of opening the hostilities—something Seoul denies.

The South says North Korean shells started falling in the waters off the island at 1434 local time (0534 GMT) on Tuesday.

At least 50 landed directly on the island, most of them hitting a South Korean military base there. In addition to the two deaths, 16 South Korean marines and three civilians were injured.

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