In brief: North Korean soldiers brag of attack on island

SEOUL, South Korea – North Korean soldiers bragged on state-run television about their heroics during the attack on South Korea’s Yeonpyeong Island last month that killed four people.

Marking the 19th anniversary last week of North Korean leader Kim Jong Il’s appointment as supreme military commander, four soldiers who appeared to have taken part in the shelling are seen describing the Nov. 23 attack.

“We cheered and congratulated our victory as we saw pillars of fire lighting up from our bombardments,” Kim Chul Nam says.

Pyongyang alleges that South Korea fired first into its territory during a routine military drill. Seoul, however, maintains that its artillery guns were aimed southwest, away from North Korea.

The government-run Institute for National Security Strategy issued a report Sunday saying that a competition for leadership within the military to show loyalty for Kim Jong Il could embolden the North. In recent days, North Korea has threatened to launch a “sacred” nuclear war against the South.

lran says they’ve hanged convicted Israeli spy

TEHRAN, Iran – Iran’s official news agency says authorities have hanged an Iranian man convicted of spying for the country’s archenemy Israel.

The report by IRNA identifies the man as Ali Akbar Siadati and says he was hanged this morning in Tehran’s Evin prison. Earlier in the week, Iran’s judiciary had announced that a spy for Israel would be executed soon.

IRNA says Siadati was arrested in 2008 and accused of providing Israel with classified information on Iran’s military capabilities. The report also says he began his alleged espionage activities in 2004. There were no details on how Siadati obtained the classified information.

Espionage is punishable by death under Iranian law. In 2008, Iran hanged another Iranian convicted of spying for Israel.