The North Koreans have accused South Korea and the United States of pushing the peninsula to the brink of war with their plan to hold joint military exercises this week end. Three days after the worst clash with decades between the two Korean states artillery firing has been heard from the North. A former military chief Kim Kwan-jin has been nominated as South Korea's new Defence Minister. A spokesman for the Presidential office in Seoul said the candidate chosen to be the new Defence Minister was a strong leader who will restore people's trust in the military. He described General Kim as a typical soldier with forty years of military experience who can sternly and quickly deal with the current crisis.Meanwhile, the American commander of United Nations Command, General Walter L. Sharp, today visited the island of Yeonpyeong to speak with military commanders and observe the damage caused by the North’s attack. He called for the North to refrain from more attacks and meet with the U.N. Command immediately to discuss the incident.