HONG KONG, Dec 20 (Reuters) – South Korea’s sovereign
rating could be lowered by several notches if there are signs
a wider military conflict with North Korea is inevitable but
this is not the likely scenario, Standard & Poor’s South Korea
analyst said on Monday.

“The outlook is still stable on our assumption this will
not deteriorate into a wide military conflict,” Kim Eng Tan
told Reuters in a telephone interview.

SEOUL (Reuters) – There have been numerous clashes between North and South Korea near five, disputed West Sea islands over the past half a century, killing dozens of people and sinking warships.

Here is a look at how the main clashes have played out around Yeonpyeong island, which North Korea attacked last Tuesday killing four people, since 1999.

SEOUL (Reuters) – There have been numerous clashes between North and South Korea near five, disputed West Sea islands over the past half a century, killing dozens of people and sinking warships.

Here is a look at how the main clashes have played out around Yeonpyeong island, which North Korea attacked last Tuesday killing four people, since 1999.[nTOE6AR029]