North Korea Used Torpedo To Sink Cheonan

old_aussie

South Korea say they have parts of the torpedo that North Korea used to sink the 1200-tonne patrol boat, Cheonan, near South Korean-controlled Baengnyeong Island on March 27, 2010.

Independent investigators have confirmed that the parts of the torpedo recovered are from a new type of torpedo that North Korea have been trying to export to Iraq.

Could this restart the Korean war?

China needs to cut off all supplies of oil/fuels to North Korea.

Starve North Korea of all types of fuel and raw materials. Put sanctions in place so that Nth Korea is ground to a halt.

Source CNN news 3.00pm 20/05/10 AEST

Manic Moran

old_aussie wrote: »

South Korea say they have parts of the torpedo that North Korea used to sink the 1200-tonne patrol boat, Cheonan, near South Korean-controlled Baengnyeong Island on March 27, 2010.

They displayed part of the propulsion system. Video in Korean here.
http://www.ytn.co.kr/_comm/pop_mov.php?page=1&s_mcd=0101&s_hcd=&key=201005201025556499

Could this restart the Korean war?

Doubt it. ROK's kindof concerned about the very large artillery park within range of its capitol city. Officially, they'll go looking for added sanctions. Unofficially, I wouldn't be surprised if the North Koreans found one or two of their submarines sunk one morning. Nothing in the newspapers, of course, complete deniability, but message sent.

China needs to cut off all supplies of oil/fuels to North Korea.

They're in a bit of a bind. They''d much rather have a stable dictatorship on their border than an unstable riot, but they can't really let this go unanswered.

NTM

Fuhrer

I read the title as "North Korea Used Tornado to Sink Cheonan".



I was more shocked when I found out it was a torpedo.

Biggins

It was obvious from the start who did it.
Because of the nutcase North Korea has, expect bugger all to be done except the usual useless rhetoric and token penalties.

The dead won't get justice.

Raedwald

Might be a little bit far-fetched here, but I always got the feeling that this was not a random act.

It coinciding with a period when the North Koreans are trying to build a cult of personality around Kim jong-il's son and heir is a bit too close.

Would not be surprised if the war resumed, the South Koreans really are in a difficult spot. Not much more they can sanction them on without starving the country to death and little other option than war given the evidence now in hand.

BluePlanet

Yeah well, it's all fun n games til someone gets hurt.

The area is the site of considerable tension between the two states; although it was provided in the armistice agreement at the end of the Korean war that the islands themselves belonged to the South, sea boundary was not covered by the armistice agreement and the sea is claimed by the North. The situation is complicated by the presence of a rich fishing ground, used by DPRK and Chinese fishing vessels and there have been numerous clashes over the years between naval vessels from both sides, attempting to police what both sides regard as their territorial waters. These have been referred to as the Crab wars.[3] In 2009 there were several incidents, notably an action in November 2009 which left a DPRK vessel severely damaged, and as recently as January 2010 an exchange of fire took place near Baengnyeong island.

OhNoYouDidn't

My understanding this boat was in NK waters, or at least disputed waters and the SK's know they are on shakey ground, hence the complete lack of reaction.

conorhal

Fuhrer wrote: »

I read the title as "North Korea Used Tornado to Sink Cheonan".



I was more shocked when I found out it was a torpedo.

Well, with the Americans developing their 'earthquake weapon' to destroy fishing villages in Asia, it's unsurprising that the North Koreans have joined this arms race and developed a 'tornado weapon' to take out mid western trailer parks"

Seriously though, this is nothing more then the tit for tat needling and testing of each other's limits that has been going on for decades. I don't think this incident will bring things to a breaking point.
The Chinese however are unlikely to implement tougher sanctions against NK. They fear a catastrophic collapse of that state, because it would result in a wave of refugees pouring into China.

monosharp

OhNoYouDidn't wrote: »

My understanding this boat was in NK waters, or at least disputed waters and the SK's know they are on shakey ground, hence the complete lack of reaction.

The boat was involved in military exercises with the yanks at the time.

The North considers it their waters, the South and the rest of the world (with the exception of Cuba) consider it South Korean waters.



The islands in the map (surrounded by red line) belong to/Choose to go with South Korea after the war. They're populated and literally live a stones throw from the North.

North Korea claims everything north of the red line (but not the islands) hence the weird shaped maritime border.

They've been clashing over these disputed waters since the war, shots are fired on an irregular basis and people are killed. The only thing that makes this different is the Souths ship actually sunk.

'Official' list of incidents since 2000 (wikipedia). I doubt this is even half of what has happened.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_border_incidents_involving_North_Korea#2010s

2000s

2001: On twelve separate occasions, North Korean vessels cross the Northern Limit Line and then retreat.
November 27, 2001: North and South Korean forces exchange fire without injuries.
June 29, 2002: Renewed naval clashes near the Northern Limit Line lead to the deaths of four South Korean sailors and the sinking of a North Korean vessel. The number of North Koreans killed is unknown.
November 16, 2002: South Korean forces fire warning shots on a Northern boat crossing the Northern Limit Line. The boat retreats. The incident is repeated on November 20.
February 19, 2003: A North Korean fighter plane crosses seven miles (11 km) south of the Northern Limit Line, and returns north after being intercepted by six South Korean planes.
March 2, 2003: Four North Korean fighter jets intercept a US reconnaissance plane over the Sea of Japan.
July 17, 2003: North and South Korean forces exchange fire at the DMZ around 6 AM. The South Korean army reports four rounds fired from the North and seventeen from the South. No injuries are reported. [7]
November 1, 2004: North Korean vessels, claiming to be in pursuit of illegal fishing craft, cross the Northern Limit Line and are fired upon by the South. The vessels retreat 3 hours later.
July 30, 2006: Several rounds are exchanged near a South Korean post in Yanggu, Gangwon.
November 10, 2009: Naval vessels from the two Koreas exchanged fire in the area of the NLL, reportedly causing serious damage to a North Korean patrol ship.[8]

2010s

March 26, 2010: One South Korean naval vessel is sunk in the Yellow Sea near North Korea. Reasons for this attack are unknown. 58 sailors are rescued, but others are feared to be dead. Though not much evidence is available, the common theory among the U.S. and South Korean governments is that North Korea is behind this attack. North Korea had reportedly been running numerous artillery drills on the same day the ship was sunk.

monosharp

Manic Moran wrote: »

Doubt it. ROK's kindof concerned about the very large artillery park within range of its capitol city. Officially, they'll go looking for added sanctions. Unofficially, I wouldn't be surprised if the North Koreans found one or two of their submarines sunk one morning. Nothing in the newspapers, of course, complete deniability, but message sent.

Normally I'd agree, but the current President in the ROK is .. well lets just say people are not that far away from expecting a return to the 'good old days' under him.

Expect a much stronger response then from previous administrations.

They're in a bit of a bind. They''d much rather have a stable dictatorship on their border than an unstable riot, but they can't really let this go unanswered.

China don't care. They may join in the official chorus of 'down with that short of thing' but they won't do anything.

Wolfe Tone

These guys really need to be dealt with. This stalemate cant go on for ever.