SEOUL July 2 Kyodo southerly Kor...

SEOUL July 2 Kyodo

southerly Korean President Kim Dae Jung forward Tuesday strongly warned North Korea against further ''provocation'' following last Saturday's naval battle between the couple Koreas that left four southward Korean sailors dead.

In a nationally televised language made upon arriving from a three-day trip to Japan, Kim said, ''If the North commits provocation again, it would meet with a lot bigger damage.''

Kim described the fire-arm battle in the western sea border area as an ''incident that has thrown all of us (South Korean people) into great blow and indignation.''

''I can not ever conceal anger about the North's provocation,'' he said.

Kim reiterated his government's position that the North should make an official apology, punish those institute to be responsible for the incident and surety not to repeat it.

President Kim visited Japan to watch the final match of the World beaker soccer championship in Yokohama in succession Sunday and hold a summit with Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi forward Monday.

In addition to the deaths of southward Korean sailors, the exchange of fire left the same South Korean patrol boat sunk individual sailor missing and 19 others wounded

The southward Korean military claimed that as many as 30 North Korean soldiers were killed or pain ed by return fire in the 25-minute battle, if it were not that there was no confirmation by dint of Pyongyang.

At the same words Kim said his country's armed forces are thoroughly prepared to deal with any similar armed provocation from the North Korea.

The southern Korean military said North Korean naval bottoms ignored warnings to retreat after intruding into southern Korea's territorial waters and lay opened fire on the South Korean patrol boats.

In answer to the South Korean claim, North Korea has said its soldiers were forced to take an ''self-defensive actions'' when the southerly Korean side opened fire first after southward Korean naval vessels intruded into North Korea's territorial waters.

Last Saturday's fire-arm battle between the two Koreas was the mostly serious since a similar united occurred in June 1999 when North and southern Korean warships engaged in the first naval battle between the sum of two units sides since the 1950-1953 Korean War.

At that time, the same North Korean warship sank and about 30 North Korean sailors are believed to have died. Several southerly Korean sailors were wounded

In a related disclosure South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff announced earlier Tuesday it has decided to further toughen its stand against any North Korean naval bottoms crossing the de facto maritime border line, which North Korea does not recognize as legitimate.

According to the of the present day rules of engagement, steps be in want ofed to repel intruding North Korean naval utensils have been reduced from five to three allowing more authority to commanders to immediately explain fire on the North Korean naval boats.

COPYRIGHT 2002 Kyodo recently made knowns International, Inc.

COPYRIGHT 2002 Gale Group