Security Council was held on Sunday, December 19th, to attempt to ease tensions between North and South Korea following the North's attack on the civilian island of Yeonpyeong, which killed two South Koreans, wounded at least 14 others, and set more than 60 buildings on fire (Lederer, Frayer). Russia initially called for the Security Council meeting, where Moscow proposed a draft statement that encouraged the U.N.'s most powerful body to request that North and South Korea "exercise maximum restraint" and urge immediate diplomatic efforts to lessen the tension. It also proposed that Secretary General Ban Ki-moon appoint an envoy "to consult on urgent measures" to settle the crisis peacefully. Diplomats from the emergency session said that China objected to the North being singled out for criticism over the two deadly attacks, including the one on Yeonpyeong (Lederer).
Tensions continue to rise as South Korea's military plans to conduct live-fire drills for an entire day on the island of Yeonpyeong, the same island that the North attacked last month as the South conducted a similar exercise. China and Russia, North Korea's closest allies, expressed concern about these military plans. North Korea promised a "catastrophe" if the drills were conducted and South Korea answered that it would strike back harder than it did last month if it were attacked again (Lederer).
South Korea defended itself stating that the drills were merely routine procedures, defensive in nature, and not to be taken as a threat. The United States, a strong ally of South Korea, agreed with the drills saying that every country has a right to train for self-defense. The US, along with others on the 15-nation body including Britain and France, demanded that the council put the blame solely on North Korea for the November 23rd attack on Yeonpyeong and the March 26th sinking of the South Korean warship Cheonan by a North Korea torpedo.
