While Thursday’s firefight between North and Sorth Korea along the Northern Limit Line (NLL)  seemed dramatic to many, it shouldn’t come as a surprise, historian and Yonsei University North Korea-watcher John Delury says.

“This (the NLL) is the weakest link in the chain, in terms of where conflict could erupt,” he told NK News on Thursday, following the early evening exchange of fire.

The exchange, which saw the North Korean side fire ten shells in the direction of a South Korean navy patrol boat located some 14 km from Yeonpyeong island, resulted in two shells landing 150m from the South Korean