South Korea: North responsible for torpedo attack on warship

[thewiseguy]

Source: Washington Post

South Korea will formally blame North Korea on Thursday for launching a torpedo at one of its warships in March, causing an explosion that killed 46 sailors and heightened tensions in one of the world's most perilous regions, U.S. and East Asian officials said.

South Korea reached its conclusion that North Korea was responsible for the attack after investigators from Australia, Britain, Sweden and the United States pieced together portions of the ship at the port of Pyongtaek, 40 miles southwest of Seoul. The Cheonan sank on March 26, following an explosion that rocked the vessel as it sailed in the Yellow Sea off South Korea's west coast.

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/05/18/AR2010051803094.html?wprss=rss_world/asia

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Formal announcement will be made on Thursday. Also from Yonhap the South Korean News Agency:

SEOUL, May 18 (Yonhap) -- South Korea issued a safety warning for its citizens staying in North Korea while preparing to launch a diplomacy campaign to make its case in the March sinking of a naval ship, officials said Tuesday, apparently indicating that its probe has found Pyongyang responsible for the disaster.

[greencharlie]

1. nothing good can come of this... :(

[rpannier]

2. It's an idiotic decision

By making this public it will require the South to do something
It's an act of war

But, local elections are in two weeks and with this government they're probably planning on reaping political windfall

[ProgressiveProfessor]

3. Its been public since it happened

This is official confirmation of what was pretty obvious from the time they pulled up the pieces.

[rpannier]

6. The plan was and should have stayed

An object from outside the ship sunk it

[fujiyama]

8. That's the dumbest thing I've heard

"An object hit the ship".

Just like "planes happened to fly into the WTC towers". Or drones just happened to bomb a village in Afghanistan.

Things happen and it's important the truth comes out.

[rpannier]

9. You obviously do not live here

So you have no idea the effects this has over here

But thanks for sharing

[ProgressiveProfessor]

12. One has to wonder why they backed NK into a corner like this

Unusual in many ways and given the instability of the region...

[melm00se]

14. Neville Chamberlain

and much of Europe took this approach in hopes that if you give in on the little things, the aggressor would go away happy and everything would be copasetic (sp?) never once, for an instant, did they think that every time they turned the other cheek, a slap became a punch and a punch became a kick and a kick became a dogpile.

while it is not always best to fight fire with fire, when confronting a bully - push back and keep pushing back, while it might cause a brawl to breakout it might also cause the aggressor to go away.

[Neron616]

15. Yes

And North Korea is WAY more dangerous than Iran!

[ProgressiveProfessor]

13. An explosive object vice a uncharted rock or shoal

No missing the detonation results

[Johnyawl]

How idiotic would it be to sweep an act of war under the rug?

If South Korea ignored this and pretended it didn't happen, what do you think North Korea's response would be? You think maybe they'd reassess their belligerent behavior, join hands with the South, and sing kumbaya?

[rpannier]

7. You do the responsible thing

and deal with this through channels that are not public

At one point the plan was to publicly say, "It was struck by an object from outside the ship."

[proteus_lives]

10. So you let NK get away with it?

Yeah, that will definitely won't lead to more attacks. :eyes:

[Posteritatis]

16. So should they have just ignored it? (nt)

[maxsolomon]

4. OK, China, what's your move?

you don't have to prop this farce up.

[Robb]

5. I think that's why the SK movement has been so slow

...to allow China to figure out how to make a move it can live with.

Hopefully, a move we all can live with.

[Regret My New Name]

11. I wonder what events took place leading up to them launching a torpedo

[Arrowhead2k1]

17. So?

Everyone's too scared to do anything real, so nothing will happen.

[IScreamSundays]

18. S. Korea to convene emergency meeting of top military generals

Source: Yonhap


SEOUL, May 20 (Yonhap) -- South Korea will assemble an emergency meeting of top military leaders Thursday to discuss how to respond to the March sinking of one of its warships and bolster defense readiness, an official said.

The meeting of about 20 top generals will commence after South Korea announces the outcome of an international investigation into the sinking of the 1,200-ton patrol vessel Cheonan in waters near the Yellow Sea border with North Korea.

end>

Read more: http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/news/2010/05/20/0200000000AEN20100520002100315.HTML

[Arrowhead2k1]

19. Oooooo, I bet the North Koreans are shaking in their boots now.

:sarcasm:

[rpannier]

23. Depends on how p*ssed off China is

If the Chinese are very angry they are

[tekisui]

20. Emergency meeting on a March sinking?

They got right on that.

[endthedrill]

21. The delay was to make sure that North Korea actually did sink their ship

:hi:

[rpannier]

22. The ship went down in an area that is difficult to salvage

The investigation took quite a bit of time and coordination
At least 2 of the members of the crew that went to look for survivors drowned

They did try to get it right