Stranded South Koreans allowed to cross border

SEOUL, South Korea A day after North Korea shut its borders at the start of U.S.-South Korea military exercises, hundreds of South Koreans who had been in the north were allowed to cross the border Tuesday after spending a day in limbo, an official in Seoul said.When North Korea took the action, 573 South Koreans were staying at the Kaesong industrial complex, north of the demilitarized zone. North Korea also planned to keep military phone lines, the last remaining communications channel, turned off to the South for the duration of the 12-day military exercises that end March 20. On Tuesday, most of the South Koreans were given clearance to cross, though the phone lines were closed, an official with South Korea's Unification Ministry.

Balance of forces

NORTH KOREA

 Army: 1.12m troops (plus 4.7 million reserves)
 Tanks: c.3,500
 Air force: 1,500 aircraft*
 Navy: 420 warships

SOUTH KOREA

 Army: 587,000 troops (plus 29,000 US troops based in country)
 Tanks: 2,330
 Air force: 790 aircraft
 Navy: 162 warships

Sources: SIPRI, Globalsecurity.org
(*most North Korean aircraft are considered obsolete and possibly unable to fly due to lack