South Korea defence minister resigns after attack

South Korean  President Lee Myung-bak accepted the resignation of his  defence minister on Thursday, two days after an attack by  North Korea and amid criticism that the South's response was  too slow.     

Minister Kim Tae-young had tended his resignation in May  after criticism over the sinking of a South Korean naval  vessel, the Cheonan, in March, also blamed on North Korea.  Forty-six South Korean sailors were killed in the attack.     

Lee only accepted the resignation on Thursday "to improve  the atmosphere in the military and to handle the series of  incidents", a presidential official said.     

North Korea fired a barrage of artillery shells at island  of Yeonpyeong off the peninsula's west coast on Tuesday,  killing two civilians and two soldiers and destroying dozens  of houses. Members of Lee's own party and opposition lawmakers  accused the military of responding too slowly.     

The government was also criticised for its perceived weak  response to the Cheonan incident. North Korea has denied  responsibility for that attack. 

China on Thursday expressed muted concern about joint  U.S.-South Korean military exercises in the Yellow Sea, while  North Korea threatened further attacks on the South if there  were more "provocations".     

Seoul said it would increase troops on islands near North  Korea after the bombardment, which caused a sharp spike in  tension in the world's fastest growing region.        

Washington is putting increasing pressure on China to rein  in North Korea, but a foreign ministry spokesman in Beijing  said what was needed was a revival of the stalled six-party  talks involving the two Koreas, Russia, China, Japan and the  United States.        

"We have noted the relevant reports and express our  concern about this," spokesman Hong Lei said, referring to the  joint military exercises next week and the involvement of the  nuclear-powered aircraft carrier the USS George Washington in  the drill. 

But Beijing has previously used stronger language to  signal its displeasure. In August, the People's Liberation  Army said earlier plans to send the George Washington to the  Yellow Sea would make it lose respect and threatened long-term  damage to Sino-U.S. relations.

Seoul expressed frustration with Beijing for not taking  sides, noting even Russia had condemned this week's attack. 

"We must engage with China for it to take more  responsibility on North Korea's behaviour," a government  official, who asked not to be named.