The United States and South Korea announced a joint naval show of force including a US aircraft carrier to deter the North, which killed a total of four people in its first shelling attack on civilians since the 1950-53 war.

Coastguards searching shattered buildings on Yeonpyeong island found the bodies of the two elderly building workers a day after two marines were confirmed dead and 18 other people injured.

Pressure rose on Beijing to rein in its wayward ally Pyongyang, which again asserted that Seoul had provoked the clash.

South Korea, after decrying an "inhumane atrocity" against defenceless civilians, said it was suspending promised flood aid to North Korea. It has already called off talks on reuniting families split since the war.

The bombardment of Yeonpyeong, which lies near the disputed inter-Korean Yellow Sea border, sent panicked civilians fleeing and fuelled anxiety about North Korea's intentions -- days after a new nuclear programme came to light.

Japan's Prime Minister Naoto Kan called on China to use its "significant influence over North Korea" to reduce tensions, and Washington -- which called the attack "clearly premeditated" -- said China's role was "pivotal".

"China does have influence with North Korea and we would hope and expect that China would use that influence," said State Department spokesman Philip Crowley.

A White House statement said President Barack Obama telephoned his counterpart Lee Myung-Bak to declare that the United States "stands shoulder to shoulder" with South Korea, which is home to 28,500 US troops.

The four-day joint naval exercise will start Sunday in the Yellow Sea, and involve a strike group headed by the carrier USS George Washington, US Forces Korea said.

It said the drill was planned well before the "unprovoked artillery attack" but it demonstrated the US "commitment to regional stability through deterrence".

Outraged Seoul newspapers urged the government to hit back.

"A club is the only medicine for a mad dog," Dong-A Ilbo said, calling the shelling a "war crime" that demanded a military riposte.

South Korea said it would deploy more artillery on Yeonpyeong after officials announced that the North had fired up to 170 shells, of which 80 hit the island -- burning down 19 homes and other buildings and setting forests and fields ablaze.

Local officials who visited the island released graphic photos of scorched and ruined buildings, with debris littering the streets.

At least 700 people have fled Yeonpyeong, which is home to more than 1,500 civilians and a permanent military base.

The attack "targeted our land and attacked civilians", President Lee was quoted by his spokesman as saying as he ordered military reinforcements for five frontline islands.

"The number of victims may be small but the meaning is far bigger."

Defence Minister Kim Tae-Young pledged to revise the code of engagement to ensure troops respond more strongly in any future clash. On Tuesday the South fired 80 rounds back at the North's coastal artillery batteries.

China -- North Korea's main ally and economic prop -- has expressed concern but not publicly criticised the North. Beijing is reluctant to do anything to destabilise the regime in Pyongyang, and its media have given generally sympathetic coverage to the North's version of events.

In a statement late Wednesday China's foreign ministry expressed regret for the "casualties and property losses", adding: "We strongly urge both sides to retain calm and restraint."

The North criticised the South for scrapping the planned talks on family reunions. It repeated claims that Seoul provoked the artillery attack by firing into the North's territory.

The firing came after North Korea's disclosure of an apparently operational uranium enrichment plant -- a potential way of building a nuclear bomb.

It also comes as North Korea prepares for an eventual succession from Kim Jong-Il to his youngest son Jong-Un.

"We judged that after revealing the new uranium enrichment facility on November 12, North Korea made the artillery attack to give Kim Jong-Un the status of a strong leader," minister Kim told parliament.

Admiral Mike Mullen, the US military's top officer, told ABC television: "This is also tied we think to the succession of this young 27-year-old who's going to take over at some point in the future."

Describing the North Korean leadership as "worrisome", he called Kim Jong-Il, "a very unpredictable guy, a very dangerous guy".

Tensions on the peninsula have been high since the deadly sinking of a South Korean warship in March, which Seoul blamed on a North Korean torpedo attack. Pyongyang rejects the charge.

burs/sm/jah/slb

del.icio.us	Digg	Reddit
YahooMyWeb	Google	Facebook

Memory Foam Mattress Review

SPACE MEDIA NETWORK PROMOTIONS Solar Energy Solutions Tempur-Pedic Mattress Comparison ... Newsletters :: SpaceDaily :: SpaceWar :: TerraDaily :: Energy Daily XML Feeds :: Space News :: Earth News :: War News :: Solar Energy News