Seoul - The lives of the inhabitants of Yonpyong-do island off South Korea's western coast are overshadowed by tension amid growing concerns that communist North Korea may fire another missile, and reports of the Stalinist state stockpiling weapons for a possible attack.

Located only 1.4 kilometres south of the disputed maritime demarcation line with North Korea, Yonpyong is feared to become Pyongyang's first military target, if the current missile confrontation escalates any further.

"If North Korea continues to push its way irrationally, the island of Yonpyong may be the first land of South Korea to be militarily seized by North Korea," said Lee Hoe-Chang, a senior lawmaker.

North Korea is believed to have developed three to four mid-range missiles by the end of 2008, which means it still has one or two remaining after the latest test-firings, the Chosun newspaper quoted unnamed intelligence sources as saying.

Pyongyang also ordered ships out of the waters off its western coast until the end of July, and ordered to double stockpiles of ammunition, probably in preparation for a land attack, South Korean media reported.

Yonpyong's geographical vulnerability led the island, which is inhabited mainly by crab fishermen, to be closely guarded by navy vessels with about 4,000 soldiers on board, which patrol the waters off Yonpyong and four nearby islands.

The escalation gained momentum as Seoul pushed back against provocation by the North. After Pyongyang's nuclear test last week, the Seoul government joined a US-led initiative to search ships for illicit weapons.

The tough stance differs from Seoul's previous liberal government that pursued a more lenient policy towards North Korea.

While outsiders may regard the island as a dangerous place, for the residents the sea off Yonpyong is Korea's best spot for catching expensive crabs, which has also attracted scores of Chinese vessels.

June is the best season for crab fishing, a major source of revenue for the 12,000 islanders.

"I love this island that earns us money with crab and its scenic beauty brings lots of tourists. I am nervous, however, the tension may stop us from fishing," said resident Yoon Jong Gyun.

On Monday, 26 vessels were at work, closely watched by South Korean navy ships on heightened alert.

Due to the inter-Korean tension many Chinese fishing vessels are gone, as are the tourists.

"I usually carry 120 tourists a day to the Yonpyong island. This week, I am carrying only 50 to 70 or so," said Byun Jong Shik, who runs a daily ferry boat between Yonpyong and the port city of Incheon.

Tension has become a fact of life for islanders. Located that close to the demarcation line, Yongpyong witnessed a series of naval skirmishes, including two clashes in
1999 and 2002 that claimed scores of South Korean lives and even heavier casualties on the Northern side.

A game of hide-and-seek is being played out between marine police guards and fishermen: Marine police attempt to block vessel access to the area near the demarcation line, while the fishermen try to get as close as they can in pursuit of a bigger catch.

"In fact, I am often tempted to come closer. I know coming one step closer to the Northern Limit Line can bring me a bigger catch of crab. I would say almost all of my colleagues would be tempted to get closer to the NLL," one fisherman said.

Many among the older islanders left North Korea during the Korean War of 1950-53. "When I left my home town in North Korea, I was 20 years old. Now I am 85 years old. My hope for going back home is becoming thin," Dan Hyun-Gyong said.(dpa)