India calls for dialogue between North, South Koreas

NEW DELHI - With the situation in the Korean peninsula worsening, India Friday advocated negotiations between the two Koreas and lauded Seoul for its “maturity and restraint”.

“The government continues to closely follow developments in the Korean Peninsula, in the aftermath of the recent shelling of Yeonpyeong Island,” Vishnu Prakash, spokesperson of the external affairs ministry, said. “We are pained at the tragic loss of life in this deplorable incident,” he said.

“India believes that peaceful negotiations rather than the use of force should be the basis for addressing differences between states,” he said. New Delhi also appreciated Seoul for maturity and restraint in handling the situation in the Korean peninsula.

“India appreciates the maturity and restraint with which the Republic of Korea has been handling the situation with a view to maintaining peace and stability in the region,” said the spokesperson.

India’s comments came even as South Korea Friday threatened it would carry out immediate airstrikes on North Korea in the event of further aggression from its neighbour.

South Korea’s threat comes after a North Korean artillery attack on Yeonpyeong, a South Korean island in the Yellow Sea. Two civilians and two soldiers were killed.