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North Korea fired on a South Korean island on Tuesday in an attack that surprised South Koreans and set governments around the world on edge. The artillery barrage killed at least two South Korean Marines and and injured at least 16 others, including civilians, on Yeonpyeong island. North Korea reportedly fired 100 artillery shells from a position north of the island. The South responded with 80. While there have been military clashes causing higher losses of life since the end of the Korean war in 1953, South Koreans are reported to be shocked at this attack because it was directed at a civilian occupied area. Yeonpyeong is home to an active military population of about 1000 Marines who patrol the waters surrounding the disputed Northern Limit Line, a boundary North Korea does not officially recognize. The New York Times reports that 1,600 civilians also reside on the island and felt that it was adequately protected and safe, despite being only 8 miles from North Korea. North Korea defended the action saying it was being provoked by South Korean military exercises that were underway and scheduled to continue for another week. The North accused the South of firing the first shots and crossing into Northern controlled waters. Choi Jin-wook of the Korea Institute for National Unification in Seoul said he thinks the attack was a response to sanctions that have denied food aid to the starving country. On Tuesday night President Obama announced the US will send an aircraft carrier accompanied by ships to the region while South Korea continues its military exercises.

GUEST: Thomas P. Kim, executive director of the Korea Policy Institute and professor of politics and international relations at Scripps College.