War on the Korean peninsula would mean Australian boots on the ground, says international editor Peter Hartcher.

Please watch this video from The Age

INCHEON: A US aircraft carrier headed toward the Korean peninsula on Wednesday, a day after North Korea launched dozens of artillery shells on a South Korean island.

The nuclear-powered USS George Washington, which carries 75 warplanes and has a crew of over 6,000, left a naval base south of Tokyo on Wednesday morning and would join exercises with South Korea from Sunday to the following Wednesday, US officials in Seoul said.

“This exercise is defensive in nature,” US Forces Korea said in a statement. “While planned well before yesterday’s unprovoked artillery attack, it demonstrates the strength of the ROK (South Korea)-US alliance and our commitment to regional stability through deterrence.”

Source:

This story was released yesterday by Fox

Obama Vows to Defend South Korea, Calls for Joint Military Exercises

President Barack Obama on Tuesday pledged the United States would stand “shoulder to shoulder” with South Korea and stage joint military exercises in response to what the White House branded a provocative, outrageous attack by North Korea on its neighbor.

Obama called South Korean President Lee Myung-bak Tuesday night, saying the U.S. would work with the international community to strongly condemn the attack that killed the two South Koreans and injured many more, the White House said.

And this story also released by Fox August 2010

HANOI, Vietnam (AP) — An American warship docked Tuesday in central Vietnam where the former foes planned to conduct naval training in a sign of growing military ties amid new warnings from China for the U.S. to stay out of its backyard.

The USS John S. McCain’s port call comes as the U.S. and Vietnam celebrate 15 years of normalized diplomatic relations following a bloody war that remains an open wound for many veterans. The two governments, while ideologically different, have embraced on a number of issues, including a recent stance against China’s territorial claims over the South China Sea.

China on Tuesday told the U.S. and South Korean navies to keep out of the Yellow Sea, where it claims exclusivity.

Anyone else see the dots starting to join??

Stay tuned and lest see how this situation progresses

There has been tension for decades between North and South Korea since the end of the Korean War but the last few years it has been intensifying.

It looks like North Korea finally blew their top and fired 200 artillery shots at Yeonpyeong an island of South Korea) and south Korea has returned fire with 50 Artillery shots. There is report 1 death (not yet confirmed) and 6 wounded all South Korean.

North Korea on Tuesday fired several rounds of artillery towards South Korean waters and an island near the tense west sea border, the South’s military said.

The North’s artillery shells fell at 2:34 p.m. in the South’s waters off the island of Yeonpyeong, some of them landing directly on the island, said Col. Lee Bung-woo, spokesman at the South’s Joint Chiefs of Staff. The South’s military responded with its artillery firing. - Source

A couple things to keep in mind is that North Korea has strong ties with China and South Korea is allied with USA and there is currently a heavy US Military in South Korea. If the situation escalates eyes will be on the 2 big boys China and USA

Update:

ALERT: South Korea’s military on standby alert for possible wartime measures, citizens urged to prepare for evacuations – MBC

Update:

Alert from Philippine Government

Statement of the Department of Foreign Affairs regarding the November 23, 2010 exchange of fire between North and South Korea

[November 23, 2010]

The Philippine Embassy in Seoul is closely monitoring developments in South Korea following the recent exchange of artillery fire in the West Sea border. The Embassy has contacted Filipino community residents near the area of conflict and advised them to keep abreast of developments; keep communication lines open; and contact the Embassy hotline immediately in case of need.

There are some 60,000 Filipinos in South Korea

SEOUL, May 26 (Yonhap) — South Korea’s military was tracking four North Korean submarines which disappeared from their east coast base after conducting naval training in the East Sea earlier this week, a military official in Seoul said Wednesday.

Locations of the North’s four 300-ton-class submarines have been unknown for two days, the military official said, noting, “We are tracking the four submarines by mobilizing all naval capabilities in the East Sea.”

The submarines left the Chaho base located near the Musudan-ri missile launch pad site in North Hamgyong province in North Korea’s northeast coast, according to the official.

Source

The Korea’s are defiantly heating up.

Approx 2 months ago a South Korean Battle Ship sunk, there was was an explosion and 46 people died. All fingers pointed to North Korea but they denied everything, a few days ago (2 months later) forensics confirms it was a North Korean Missile that sunk the South Korean Ship.

So the current news head lines read along these lines:

North Korea troops ‘combat ready’ as tensions with South rise

South Korea slaps sanctions on Pyongyang

Shares fall on Korean war and debt fears

South Korea seeks UN action against Pyongyang for sinking of warship

Australia, South Korea Hold Trade Talks, Crean Says

FACTBOX – International sanctions against N.Korea

Clinton Says US Support for South Korea ‘Unequivocal’

An the latest from SBS - S Korea starts wall of sound border war

South Korea on Tuesday started installing loudspeakers along its tense border with North Korea in preparation for broadcasts, ignoring threats by the communist state’s army to fire at them.

After a six-year halt, the Seoul government has resumed a Cold War-style propaganda campaign as part of a package of reprisals for the North’s sinking of a South Korean warship.

The campaign began on Monday evening, hours after President Lee Myung-Bak cut trade links with the North and announced he would refer it to the United Nations Security Council for punishment.

The defence ministry said it resumed broadcasts on FM radio at 6pm on Monday, starting with a four-hour program entitled Voice of Freedom. It was being aired three times a day, a spokesman told AFP.

I have no doubt that N Korea will fire on these Speakers and the Korean War 2.0 will begin I would be surprised if war does not breakout with in the next 2 weeks

Related Article - North Korea masses 50,000 troops on border

Also Adding 25/05/2010 20:00 – Obama tells military: prepare for North Korea aggression

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Barack Obama has directed theU.S. military to coordinate with South Korea to “ensure readiness” and deter future aggression from North Korea, the White House said on Monday.

The United States gave strong backing to plans by South Korean President Lee Myung-bak to punish North Korea for sinking one of its naval ships, White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said in a statement.

The White House urged North Korea to apologize and change its behavior, he said.

North Korea has completed deployment of about 50,000 special forces along the border with South Korea, amid high tensions over the sinking of a Seoul warship.

50,000 troops is a lot of men & wemon, i don’t think this time they are bluffing, it would be a waste of time and money for the North Koreans.

There has been tensions between the north and south for a while… well i guess since the last war but a lot more in the last 1-2years with the North testing nukes and making threats.

Back on the 26th march 2010 a South Korean warship sunk (shot by a torpedo)  in disputed waters and South Korea is finally pointing its fingers towards the North hence the build up of troops.

Source

As i am typing, this article just came out. Source

SEOUL, May 6 (AFP) – Traces of explosive from a torpedo have been found on debris from a sunken South Korean warship, fuelling suspicions that North Korea sank the vessel, a report said Thursday.

Lets see how this plays out.

If there was a war one good thing that might come out of it is a 2nd series or MASH

Lebanese army says it used anti-aircraft fire to force four warplanes out of airspace over Bekaa Valley.

Lebanon says its army has opened fire on four Israeli warplanes that flew into Lebanese airspace.

The Lebanese army said in a statement that its units used anti-aircraft fire Sunday to force the Israeli warplanes out of Lebanese airspace.

The army said the planes were in southern Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley in central Lebanon.

Israeli warplanes frequently fly over Lebanese airspace in what Israel says are reconnaissance missions. The overflights have been a constant source of tension between the two countries.

Sunday’s events come amid heightened tensions in the Middle East following some of the sharpest exchanges in years between Israel and its Arab neighbors.

This is big news, I am searching for more sources to back it up. If true this could get ugly.