Exchange of gunfire by South and North Korea

The N—Korea threatened to break off its peace talks with South Korea yesterday as  the amid speculation that the young dictator Jong-un who has not been seen in recent weeks, may be ill or has been overthrown in power.

The said threat came after the exchange of machinegun fire that broke out when the South Korean activists used a balloon to send a 200,000 anti—regime leaflets, books and even video discs into the isolated Stalinist state. North Koreans hit back by saying the said incident could wreck its surprise move towards détente that coincided with the young dictator’s disappearance.

The hopes as of now has been raised for a possible thaw in the relations when a Russian—made Ilyushin—62 jet, that is normally used by Kim himself, brought a high—level North Korean delegation to the Incheon airport in the South Korea last week. The said group includes top adviser of Kim, General Pyong So, who sits on the national defense commission and runs the army’s general political bureau. Kim’s own bodyguards, in suits and sunglasses, accompanied them.

There was no such delegation appeared in south for about five years. North Koreans offered to resume the talks, breaking the ice that has been frozen by the political dialogue and led to a repeated military clashes.