Security Council condemns recent sinking of Republic of Korea ship:
High-ranking U.S., North Korean military to
meet in DMZ on Tuesday

Seoul, South Korea (CNN) -- High-level military officers from the U.S.-led U.N. Command and North Korea are slated to meet Tuesday in the village of Panmunjom in the demilitarized zone between North and South Korea, the United Nations said Monday.

They plan to discuss the March 26 sinking of a South Korean warship, the Cheonan.

The U.N. officers will be U.S. colonels, as the United States holds responsibility for U.N. security forces in Korea.

North Korea has accepted a U.N. proposal for the meeting of colonel-level leaders to be a precursor to talks between generals on the contentious naval incident.

The demilitarized zone was created as part of the armistice signed between North and South Korea in 1953 that halted the Korean War, but the war has never officially ended.

The United Nations and North Korea began occasional meetings between generals -- "General Officer Talks" -- at Panmunjom in 1998 to lessen tensions. There have been 16 such meetings to date, the last one in March 2009, the United Nations said.

On Friday, the United Nations formally condemned the sinking of the Cheonan but did not specifically name North Korea, which an international joint civilian-military investigation deemed culpable. Australia, Britain, the United States, Sweden and South Korea provided experts for the inquiry.

"The Security Council deplores the attack," the 15-member council said Friday in what is known as a presidential statement. It urged that "appropriate and peaceful measures be taken against those responsible for the incident aimed at the peaceful settlement of the issue."

It also called for full adherence to the 1953 Korean Armistice Agreement, which ended hostilities in the Korean War.

Despite the absence of North Korea's name in the condemnation, Susan Rice, U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, said the message to the communist nation is "unmistakable."

"This statement is notable and it is clear," Rice said after its approval at a Friday session. "It uses the term 'attack' repeatedly, which you don't have to be a scholar of the English language to understand is not a neutral term."

South Korea welcomed the statement.

"I think it's crystal clear that [the] Security Council made it clear that North Korea [is] to be blamed and to be condemned," said Park In-kook, South Korea's ambassador to the United Nations.

A presidential statement, unlike a Security Council resolution, is not legally binding, though it requires approval of the council's five permanent members: China, Russia, France, the United Kingdom and United States.

The Security Council expressed "deep sympathy and condolences" for the deaths of 46 sailors aboard the Cheonan.

The isolated North has maintained its innocence, rejecting the investigation findings outright, questioning the validity of the experts involved, asking to conduct its own inquiry and telling the Security Council that North Korea is the true victim of a conspiracy.

A spokesman for the Foreign Ministry of North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, called the presidential statement "devoid of any proper judgment," according to the state-run Korean Central News Agency on Friday.

He added the case "should have been settled between the North and the South without referring it to the U.N. The DPRK remains unchanged in its stand to probe the truth about the case to the last."

------------------------------------------

After raising the ship, South Korea and the United States had joint investigative team in order to finding the cause  of the sinking which team was formed with the international professional group including Canada, Britain, Sweden and Australia and made decision to announce the team by South Korea.

On April 16, 2010, Yoon Duk-yong, co-chairman of the investigation team, said "In an initial examination of the Cheonan's stern, South Korean and U.S. investigators found no traces showing that the hull had been hit directly by a torpedo. Instead, they have found traces proving that a powerful explosion caused possibly by a torpedo had occurred underwater. The explosion might have created a bubble jet that eventually generated an enormous shock wave and caused the ship to break in two."  Traces of an explosive chemical substance used in torpedoes, RDX, were later found in May 2010.

The following presentation provided by CIV MIL JIG which have shown the undex events and Bubble process:

You will be able to see more detail briefing slides for investigation which  was provided  in May 20, 2010 by the CIV MIL JIG

The Washington Post reported on May 19, 2010, that a team of investigators from Sweden, Australia, Britain, and the United States had concluded that a North Korean torpedo sank the ship. The team found that the torpedo used was identical to a North Korean torpedo previously captured by South Korea.   On April 25, 2010, the investigative team announced that the cause of the sinking was a non-contact underwater explosion.

On May 7, 2010, a government official said that a team of South Korean civilian and military experts had found traces of, a high explosive more powerful than TNT and used in torpedoes.   On May 19, 2010, the discovery of a fragment of metal containing a serial number similar to one on a North Korean torpedo salvaged by South Korea in 2003 was announced.

In their summary for the United Nations Security Council, the investigation group was described as the "Joint Civilian-Military Investigation Group of the Republic of Korea with the participation of international experts from Australia, Sweden, the United Kingdom and the United States, and the Multinational Combined Intelligence Task Force, comprising the Republic of Korea, Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States," which consisted of "25 experts from 10 top Korean expert agencies, 22 military experts, 3 experts recommended by the National Assembly, and 24 foreign experts constituting 4 support teams".

In July 9th, 2010 again, The Security Council clearly condemned the recent sinking of a Republic of Korea (ROK) naval vessel, stressing the need to prevent further attacks both against the East Asian nation and in the region.

“The Security Council condemns the attack which led to the sinking of the Cheonan,” the 15-member body said in a statement read out by Ambassador U. Joy Ogwu of Nigeria, which holds the Council’s rotating presidency for this month.

It added that such an incident “endangers peace and security in the region and beyond.”

The Council expressed its deep concern over the findings of the international report, but noted that the DPRK has “stated that it had nothing to do with the incident.”

Welcoming the restraint showed by the ROK, the Council stressed the importance of maintaining peace on the Korean Peninsula as well as in all of North-East Asia.

The Council encouraged “the settlement of outstanding issues on the Korean peninsula by peaceful means to resume direct dialogue and negotiation through appropriate channels as early as possible, with a view to avoiding conflicts and averting escalation.”

Both the Council and Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon have previously called on DPRK to fulfil its commitments under the now-suspended Six-Party Talks which sought to resolve the crisis over the country’s nuclear programme.

The Talks – bringing together the DPRK, the ROK, Japan, China, Russia and the United States –have been stalled for more than one year.

Forty-six people onboard the Cheonan ship died when it was sunk in late March. Seoul released the findings of an international report in May that concluded that the vessel was hit by a torpedo launched by its neighbour, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK).

Sources:

CNN

wikipedia

Security Council condemns recent sinking of Republic of Korea ship

Catch4all.com, Sandra Englund

 

May 21, 2010— Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said on Friday that evidence was "overwhelming" that a North Korean submarine sank a South Korean warship and that the communist country must face international consequences for its actions.

Speaking in the Japanese capital at the outset of a three-nation Asian trip, Clinton said that the US, Japan, South Korea and China are consulting on an appropriate reaction.

She said the report proves a North Korean sub fired a torpedo that sank the ship, the Cheonan, in March and that it could no longer be "business as usual" in dealing with the matter.

"The evidence is overwhelming and condemning. The torpedo that sunk the Cheonan and took the lives of 46 South Korean sailors was fired by a North Korean submarine and the United States strongly condemns this act of aggression. As Minister Okada and I discussed, we will be in deep and constant consultations not only between the United States and Japan, but also with South Korea, China and others to determine our response."

"I think it is important to send a clear message to North Korea that provocative actions have consequences. We cannot allow this attack on South Korea to go unanswered by the international community. So we will determine our best options moving forward and send a clear, unmistakable message to North Korea regarding the international community's and most particularly its neighbours' concerns about its behaviour and I look forward to being able to work out the details over the next week."

"The Lee (South Korean President Lee Myung bak) group's assertion that the above-said case is linked with the North is the last-ditch effort of those who face destruction as it is a premeditated and deliberate plot to tide over a serious crisis created due to the total failure of its domestic and foreign policies," North's state broadcaster KRT said on Friday.

US President Obama wants South Korea to lead the way in coming up with possible responses.

North Korea denies it was responsible for the sinking and has threatened to retaliate against any attempt to punish it with "all-out war."

Chinese officials have appealed for calm.

--------------------------------------



According to the DOD News report, dated, May 20th, 2010
by By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

Concludes North Korea Sank South Korean Ship

WASHINGTON, May 20, 2010 – South Korean officials say they have proof that North Korea torpedoed the South Korean frigate Cheonan on March 26, killing 46 sailors.

Officials in the South Korean capital of Seoul said an investigation into the sinking of the Cheonan found residue of an explosive used in a North Korean torpedo, and also found other forensic evidence clearly implicating North Korea.

“The evidence points overwhelmingly to the conclusion that the torpedo was fired by a North Korean submarine,” a South Korean defense ministry statement said. “There is no other plausible explanation.”

The report reflects an objective and scientific review of the evidence, South Korean officials said. “It points overwhelmingly to the conclusion that North Korea was responsible for this attack,” officials said. “This act of aggression is one more instance of North Korea’s unacceptable behavior and defiance of international law. This attack constitutes a challenge to international peace and security and is a violation of the Armistice Agreement.”

Salvage experts raised the ship, which had broken in half, from the sea floor near Baengnyeong Island. The Cheonan had a crew of 104. Officials said the vessel was operating south of a disputed sea border on the western side of the peninsula in the Yellow Sea. The Cheonan, a 1,200-ton frigate built in 1989, was on a routine patrol mission.

A White House statement said President Barack Obama spoke with South Korean President Lee Myung-bak and expressed his deep sympathy for the loss of the sailors. “The United States strongly condemns the act of aggression that led to their deaths,” the statement said. “The president spoke with President Lee on May 17 and made clear that the United States fully supports the Republic of Korea, both in the effort to secure justice for the 46 servicemembers killed in this attack and in its defense against further acts of aggression.”

The White House statement went on to say that North Korea must understand that belligerence toward its neighbors and defiance of the international community are signs of weakness, not strength.

“Such unacceptable behavior only deepens North Korea’s isolation,” the statement said. “It reinforces the resolve of its neighbors to intensify their cooperation to safeguard peace and stability in the region against all provocations.”

An international team of investigators from Australia, Great Britain, Sweden and the United States assisted South Korean experts in examining the forensic evidence left in the ship.

“We have reached the clear conclusion that [the] Cheonan was sunk as the result of an external underwater explosion caused by a torpedo made in North Korea,” said Yoon Duk-yong, of the investigation team. “The evidence points overwhelmingly to the conclusion that the torpedo was fired by a North Korean submarine. There is no other further explanation.”

South Korea formed the joint civilian-military investigation group after the sinking and carefully shielded the group from a rush to judgment on the cause of the sinking, South Korean officials said.

The group found that “a strong underwater explosion generated by the detonation of a homing torpedo below and to the left of the gas turbine room caused Republic of Korea Ship Cheonan to split apart and sink,” the South Korean defense ministry statement said.

The group also collected parts of the torpedo, including a propulsion motor with propellers and a steering section from the site of the sinking.

“The evidence matched in size and shape with the specifications on the drawing presented in introductory materials provided to foreign countries by North Korea for export purposes,” South Korean officials said. Markings on the torpedo in Hangul are consistent with the marking of a previously obtained North Korean torpedo, they added.

“The weapon system used is confirmed to be a high-explosive torpedo with a net explosive weight of about 250 [kilograms], manufactured by North Korea,” officials said.

-----------------------------

CNN news May 20th, 2010 reported that the China asked both sides to stay calm to avoid an "escalation of the situation," said the country's foreign affairs ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu.

Japan, however, said it stands behind South Korea. "We had received extensive explanation from the ROK (Republic of Korea) side prior to today's announcement," Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama said in a statement.

"On this basis, Japan strongly supports the ROK. "North Korea's action cannot be condoned by any means, and Japan together with the international community strongly condemns North Korea," the prime minister said.

"In handling this matter, Japan will continue its close coordination and cooperation for regional peace and stability with the countries concerned, including the ROK and the United States."

Military and civilian briefers said that damage to the Cheonan's hulk and injuries on the bodies of the sailors were consistent with the kind of "shock-wave and bubble effect" produced by a homing torpedo attack. Seismic data, witness statements and computer modeling provided further corroboration, Yoon said.

Briefers displayed torpedo parts recovered from the Cheonan wreck site: part of a motor, a shaft and parts of the propeller. Korean writing, with the words "Number 1" were inscribed on fragments of the weapon. The parts displayed in a glass case were compared and shown to be identical to the blueprint of a 7.35 meter torpedo, obtained from a North Korean weapons export brochure.

General Han Won-dong, director of South Korea's Defense Intelligence Agency, declined to state how or where South Korea had obtained the brochure, citing security sensitivities.

International members of the investigative team agreed with the conclusions.

"We worked closely and collaboratively, using separate tools and methods," said Adm. Thomas Eccles of the U.S. Navy, adding that "all members" of the international team were in agreement.

Military officials also identified what they believe to be the type of vessel responsible.

"A few small submarines and a mother ship supporting them left a North Korea naval base in the West Sea [Yellow Sea] two - three days prior to the attack," Yoon said, citing information gathered by a multinational task force made up of Australia, Canada, South Korea, the UK and the U.S.

The likely culprit was a midget submarine of the Yeono ("Salmon"), a vessel equipped with night vision equipment, Han said.

This is not the first clash the two Koreas have had near the maritime border.

In 1999 and 2002, there were fatal naval clashes between surface patrol boats near the inter-Korean maritime border in the Yellow Sea. A November shooting incident also may have killed North Korean sailors.

However, the use of a submarine is a significant escalation in terms of weapons used. It's also the deadliest North Korean attack since the bombing of a South Korean airliner killed 115 people in 1987.

Gen. Park Jung-i, who co-chaired the investigative committee, said that South Korea would give the evidence to the Armistice Commission that oversees the ceasefire that ended the 1950-1953 on the Korean peninsula. The commission would make the findings available to North Korea, he said.

Asked what defensive moves the South Korean navy is taking to prevent a recurrence, Han said that that the navy would establish anti-submarine detection measures, but admitted the difficulty of detecting an underwater submarine once it has left its base.

The White House backed the report, saying it "points overwhelmingly to the conclusion that North Korea was responsible for the attack."

"This act of aggression is one more instance of North Korea's unacceptable behavior and defiance of international law," said a statement by White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs.

"This attack constitutes a challenge to international peace and security, and is a violation of the Armistice Agreement."

The statement noted that President Barack Obama spoke with his South Korean counterpart Monday and "made clear that the United States fully supports the Republic of Korea, both in the effort to secure justice for the 46 service members killed in this attack and in its defense against further acts of aggression."

See the detail images about the torpedo that the investigators found:



The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release

 

May 19, 2010

Statement by the Press Secretary on the Republic of Korea Navy ship the Cheonan

The President has expressed his deep sympathy to President Lee and the Korean people for the loss of 46 sailors on the Republic of Korea Navy ship Cheonan that was sunk on March 26 by a torpedo.  The United States strongly condemns the act of aggression that led to their deaths.


The report issued today by the team of international investigators reflects an objective and scientific review of the evidence.  It points overwhelmingly to the conclusion that North Korea was responsible for this attack.  This act of aggression is one more instance of North Korea’s unacceptable behavior and defiance of international law.  This attack constitutes a challenge to international peace and security and is a violation of the Armistice Agreement.  

The President spoke with President Lee on May 17 and made clear that the United States fully supports the Republic of Korea, both in the effort to secure justice for the 46 service members killed in this attack and in its defense against further acts of aggression.

North Korea must understand that belligerence towards its neighbors and defiance of the international community are signs of weakness, not strength.  Such unacceptable behavior only deepens North Korea’s isolation.  It reinforces the resolve of its neighbors to intensify their cooperation to safeguard peace and stability in the region against all provocations.

Here is detaildescription about  PDD -772 Cheonan Ship sinking:



Here are more detail information via CNN and youtube:

New York, 19 May 2010 - Statement Attributable to the Spokesperson for the United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on the announcement by the Government of the Republic of Korea on the sinking of the Cheonan naval ship

The Secretary-General has learned of the results of the investigation into the sinking of the Cheonan naval ship of the Republic of Korea with a heavy heart and serious concern.

The Secretary-General appreciates the restrained and patient efforts of the Government of the Republic of Korea to investigate this incident in an objective and scientific manner by both domestic and international experts.

The facts laid out in the report are deeply troubling. As Secretary-General of the United Nations, he will continue to closely follow developments.

The Secretary-General takes this opportunity to express once again his deep sadness over the loss of the sailors. He also extends his heartfelt sympathy to the bereaved families as well as to the people and the Government of the Republic of Korea.

Resources:

DOD

CNN

Wikipedia

Fox news

UN

Youtube:

Catch4all.com, Sandra Englund


Remembering The Victims of South Korean Military Disaster - Cheonan, March 26, 2010:

Memorial Services  held in April 28, 2010 at the Seattle Republic of Korean Consulate  office and 1627 S. 312th St, Federal Way, Wa  for  the Victims (March 26, 2010) of the South Korean Military Disaster: Cheonan.
Sponsored by:  Korean American 6.25 Korean War and Vietnam War Veterans Assoc.  ROK Consul General (WA), KWA (Korean Women's Association), Korean American Association of Federal Way and Korean American Association of Tacoma, WA.
Senator Paull Shin, Retired South Korea Navy General, Nampyo Park, the City of Federal Way Council Member, Michael Park, and Minister, Cho, and President of Korean American Vietnam War Veterans Association, Lee Chang Rae delivered the special condolences and expressed appreciation of the 46 heroes of the South Korean Navy and condemned for terrors of act which killed innocent people.

MC: Minister, Chae soon Jong  led the service: Special Poetry was read by Poet, Moon Hae Sook. Amazing Grace and How great thou Art medly sang by Sandra Englund, Prayer by Minister Park Jae Kwon.

We have learned that the sorrows and unforgettable terrors of action which killed innocent people with no reason. 

This terrible disaster news shocks the world. The painful tear and painful heart will united stronger  and must prevent the terrors and keep away from the fears  for the South Korea and around the world.  The United State of America  and UN to working together to support and protecting South Korea  and the world in order to protecting environment from out of the nuclear danger and terrors attack. 

Condolences and prayers for those of who lost loved ones and who are injured by the Military disaster, Ship sinking in March 26th, 2010.

   KOREAN POST TV: Elder Paul Whang

DSCN9210_tm_tm_tm.jpg

DSCN9212_tm_tm_tm.jpg

DSCN9213_tm_tm_tm.jpg

DSCN9214_tm_tm_tm.jpg

DSCN9216_tm_tm_tm.jpg

DSCN9217_tm_tm_tm.jpg

DSCN9218_tm_tm_tm.jpg

DSCN9219_tm_tm_tm.jpg

DSCN9222_tm_tm_tm.jpg

DSCN9223_tm_tm_tm.jpg

DSCN9225_tm_tm_tm.jpg

DSCN9226_tm_tm_tm.jpg

DSCN9227_tm_tm_tm.jpg

DSCN9228_tm_tm_tm.jpg

DSCN9229_tm_tm_tm.jpg

DSCN9230_tm_tm_tm.jpg

DSCN9231_tm_tm_tm.jpg

DSCN9232_tm_tm_tm.jpg

DSCN9233_tm_tm_tm.jpg

DSCN9236_tm_tm_tm.jpg

DSCN9237_tm_tm_tm.jpg

DSCN9238_tm_tm_tm.jpg

DSCN9239_tm_tm_tm.jpg

DSCN9240_tm_tm_tm.jpg

DSCN9241_tm_tm_tm.jpg

DSCN9242_tm_tm_tm.jpg

DSCN9243_tm_tm_tm.jpg

DSCN9245_tm_tm_tm.jpg

DSCN9246_tm_tm_tm.jpg

DSCN9247_tm_tm_tm.jpg

DSCN9248_tm_tm_tm.jpg

DSCN9249_tm_tm_tm.jpg

DSCN9250_tm_tm_tm.jpg

DSCN9251_tm_tm_tm.jpg

DSCN9252_tm_tm_tm.jpg

DSCN9253_tm_tm_tm.jpg

DSCN9256_tm_tm_tm.jpg

DSCN9257_tm_tm_tm.jpg

DSCN9258_tm_tm_tm.jpg

DSCN9262_tm_tm_tm.jpg

DSCN9263_tm_tm_tm.jpg

DSCN9264_tm_tm_tm.jpg

DSCN9265_tm_tm_tm.jpg

DSCN9266_tm_tm_tm.jpg

DSCN9271_tm_tm_tm.jpg

DSCN9273_tm_tm_tm.jpg

DSCN9274_tm_tm_tm.jpg

DSCN9276_tm_tm_tm.jpg

DSCN9277_tm_tm_tm.jpg

DSCN9278_tm_tm_tm.jpg

DSCN9279_tm_tm_tm.jpg

DSCN9280_tm_tm_tm.jpg

DSCN9281_tm_tm_tm.jpg

DSCN9284_tm_tm_tm.jpg

DSCN9285_tm_tm_tm.jpg

DSCN9287_tm_tm_tm.jpg

DSCN9291_tm_tm_tm.jpg

DSCN9292_tm_tm_tm.jpg

DSCN9293_tm_tm_tm.jpg

DSCN9294_tm_tm_tm.jpg

DSCN9295_tm_tm_tm.jpg

DSCN9297_tm_tm_tm.jpg

DSCN9298_tm_tm_tm.jpg

DSCN9299_tm_tm_tm.jpg

DSCN9300_tm_tm_tm.jpg

DSCN9301_tm_tm_tm.jpg

DSCN9302_tm_tm_tm.jpg

DSCN9303_tm_tm_tm.jpg

DSCN9304_tm_tm_tm.jpg

DSCN9305_tm_tm_tm.jpg

DSCN9306_tm_tm_tm.jpg

DSCN9309_tm_tm_tm.jpg

DSCN9310_tm_tm_tm.jpg

DSCN9311_tm_tm_tm.jpg

 

 

 

Catch4all.com, Sandra Englund

 

---------------------------------------------


 The White House
Office of the Press Secretary
______________________________________________________________________________

For Immediate Release

 

March 31, 2010

Readout of the President's Call with
President Lee Myung-bak of the Republic of Korea

The President called President Lee Myung-bak of the Republic of Korea today to offer his support and condolences following the sinking of the South Korean Navy vessel Cheonan on March 26.  The President told President Lee that the thoughts and prayers of the American people are with the families of those missing and with the family of the South Korean Navy diver who died trying to rescue them.  The President noted that the US Navy had extended assistance to South Korea’s ongoing search and recovery effort and said we were prepared to provide further help if needed.  They also discussed the upcoming Nuclear Security Summit in Washington, DC on April 12-13.

--------------------------

South Korea finds clues to ship sinking

Reuters April 24th, 2010

NTDTV April 6th, 2010

Torpedo hits a Destroyer  (July 02, 2007  - A torpedo tears this Destroyer in two.)

CCTV March 26, 2010

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — An explosion caused by a torpedo likely tore apart and sank a South Korean warship near the North Korean border, Seoul's defense minister said Sunday, while declining to assign blame for the blast as suspicion increasingly falls on Pyongyang.

Defense Minister Kim Tae-young said an underwater explosion appeared to have ripped apart the vessel, and a torpedo blast seemed the most likely cause. Investigators who examined salvaged wreckage separately announced Sunday that a close-range, external explosion likely sank it.

"Basically, I think the bubble jet effect caused by a heavy torpedo is the most likely" cause, Kim told reporters. The bubble jet effect refers to the rapidly expanding bubble an underwater blast creates and the subsequent destructive column of water unleashed.

Kim, however, did not speculate on who may have fired the weapon and said an investigation was ongoing and it's still too early to determine the cause.

Soon after the disaster, Kim told lawmakers that a North Korean torpedo was one of the likely scenarios, but the government has been careful not to blame the North outright, and Pyongyang has denied its involvement.

As investigations have pointed to an external explosion as the cause of the sinking, however, suspicion of the North has grown, given the country's history of provocation and attacks on the South.

The Cheonan was on a routine patrol on March 26 when the unexplained explosion split it in two in one of South Korea's worst naval disasters. Forty bodies have been recovered so far, but six crew members are still unaccounted for and are presumed dead.

The site of the sinking is near where the rival Koreas fought three times since 1999, most recently a November clash that left one North Korean soldier dead and three others wounded. The two Koreas are still technically at war because their 1950-53 Korean War ended in a truce, not a peace treaty.

Also Sunday, investigators said a preliminary investigation of the front part of the 1,200-ton ship — retrieved the day before — pointed to an external explosion.

Chief investigator Yoon Duk-yong told reporters that an inspection of the hull pointed to an underwater explosion. He appeared to support the bubble jet effect theory, saying, "It is highly likely that a non-contact explosion was the case rather than a contact explosion."

But he, too, said it was too early to determine what caused the explosion.

Earlier Sunday, Prime Minister Chung Un-chan said South Korea will take "stern" action against whoever was behind the explosion as the country started a five-day funeral for the 46 dead and missing sailors. Makeshift alters were set up in Seoul and other major cities to allow citizens to pay their respect.

"We will remember all of you in the name of the Republic of Korea to let you keep alive in our hearts," said Chung, clad in a black suit and tie. The 46 sailors will be promoted by one rank and awarded posthumous medals, he said.

In Pyongyang, the North marked the 78th anniversary of the founding of the country's military Sunday with a vow to "mercilessly" punish any hostile moves by "the imperialist enemies," a term it uses when referring to the U.S.

Pyongyang routinely accuses the U.S. of plotting to invade the North, despite the repeated denials by Washington.

"If the imperialist enemies intrude into" the North's territory, "its army will beat them back at a stroke by mercilessly showering bombs and shells on them," the North's main Rodong Sinmun newspaper said in an editorial carried by the official Korean Central News Agency. It didn't mention the ship sinking.

------------------------------------------

Last April 19th, 2010, An emotional President Lee Myung-bak vowed Monday to find out why a South Korean naval ship sank and to "deal resolutely" with whatever or whomever caused the sinking, the country's Yonhap news agency reported.-

April 19th, news CNN reported that there were 58  rescued after explosion.  There were total 104 crew members on Board and 40 others are missing on Friday Evening.  It started sinking near Baengnyeong Island, which is controlled by South Korea, after an explosion that occurred Friday evening.  Baengnyeong Island is the westermost point of South Korea. Travel time by boat to the island from Incheon is about four hours.

An explosion caused by a torpedo likely tore apart and sank a South Korean warship near the North Korean border, Seoul's defense minister said Sunday, while declining to assign blame for the blast as suspicion increasingly falls on Pyongyang.  Relatives of the missing sailed overnight aboard a military ship, arriving at the scene of the sinking on Sunday.

The sinking of the ship near the disputed sea border, where the navies of the two Koreas have fought bloody skirmishes, raised the possibility of a North Korean torpedo attack or sabotage. The South Korean defense minister, Kim Tae-young, told Parliament that the authorities would investigate such a possibility but emphasized that it was too early to connect the sinking to North Korea.

The ship, a 1,200-ton frigate built in 1989, was on a routine patrol mission with 104 crew members on board.

See below movie as an example how Torpedo destroys the ship:

“I heard a terrible explosion and the ship keeled suddenly to the right. We lost power and telecommunications,” Choi Won-il, captain of the Cheonan, told the relatives. “I was trapped in the cabin for five minutes before my colleagues broke the window in and let me out. When I got out, the stern had already broken away and disappeared underwater.”

Most of those missing were believed to have been trapped inside their rapidly sinking ship as waters gushed into their dark under deck, officials said.

“Many sailors were hanging onto the bow of the sinking ship,” Kim Jin-ho, a crewman on a civilian ferry to Baengnyeong, a South Korean border island, told YTN television, describing the rescue scene on Friday night. “They were shouting for help. They were falling into water.”

The sinking of the ship near the disputed sea border, where the navies of the two Koreas have fought bloody skirmishes, raised the possibility of a North Korean torpedo attack or sabotage. The South Korean defense minister, Kim Tae-young, told Parliament that the authorities would investigate such a possibility but emphasized that it was too early to connect the sinking to North Korea.

Many of the incidents occurring at sea are due to border disputes. The North claims jurisdiction over a large area south of the de facto western maritime border, the Northern Limit Line. As this is prime fishing area, clashes are common. In addition, the North claims its territorial waters extend for 50 nautical miles (90 km) from the coast, rather than the 12 nautical miles (22 km) recognized by other countries.

If we go back to the  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.

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 brought down.

On Saturday, recovery crews found the body of a missing sailor in the wreckage of the ship.  The ship sunk in the Yellow Sea near the western sea border with North Korea on March 26.  Forty of Cheonan's 104 crew members have now been confirmed dead, and six more are also believed dead, though they are still listed as missing. Fifty eight others were rescued before the vessel sank .

Condolences and prayers for those of who lost loved ones and who are injured by the Military disaster, Ship sinking in March 26th, 2010,

Resources:

Fox News

Yahoo

Youtube

Reuters

CNN

Washington Post

wikipedia

Reported by Catch4all.com, Sandra Englund, April 25, 2010

----------------------------------------------------------------

South Korea ship sinking may be North's grandstanding

According to Reuters, Herskovitz - Analysis SEOUL dated, Fri Mar 26, 2010 12:25pm EDT:

The Seoul government has called an emergency meeting of senior cabinet ministers.

The North will not escalate tensions to the state of war, which would be a suicidal move for leader Kim Jong-il because his ill-equipped army would be no match for the advanced militaries of South Korea and its biggest ally the United States.

* If the North did attack the South's ship, the likely reason would have been to raise tension ahead of its return to the nuclear talks. The North often rattles sabers ahead of major diplomatic meetings to alarm its dialogue partners in the hope that they would be more willing to make concessions in return for Pyongyang reducing its military threat to the region.

* Military grandstanding by the North usually only has a temporary impact on markets, with investors saying it would take the threat of war to cause real and lasting impact.

* North Korea risks further hits to its economy by an attack on the South. Its nearly bare coffers have been further depleted by U.N. sanctions imposed after a nuclear test in May while a botched currency revaluation at the end of last year added to its woes and sparked rare civil unrest.

* A North Korean attack on the South strengthens Kim's standing at home among the country's powerful military. This could help him reshuffle cadres or perhaps clear the way for his youngest son to be named heir of the communist dynasty when the North's parliament holds its annual meeting on April 9.

* The North may follow the attack with other sorts of military grandstanding that could include missile launches or even another nuclear test.

* If Pyongyang goes too far, it could be hit by U.S. Treasury measures that would virtually cut off its meager international finances. This would deal a major blow to Kim who needs hard cash to win the support of cadres for his succession plans and to pay for an ambitious program lauded in his state's media to build a "strong and prosperous" nation by 2012.

---------------------------------------

South Korea says not clear North involved in ship sinking. A South Korean naval ship was sinking on Friday night with more than 100 people on board, but officials played down earlier suggestions that it may have been the result of an attack by North Korea.

"It is not clear whether North Korea was involved," Presidential Blue House spokeswoman Kim Eun-hye told Reuters.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff also said it could not conclude that the reclusive North was behind the attack.

Earlier, South Korean media had quoted officials as saying the North could have torpedoed the ship near the disputed western sea border that separates the two Koreas.

The sinking comes as the impoverished North has become increasingly frustrated by its wealthy neighbor, which has given the cold-shoulder to recent attempts to reopen a lucrative tourist business on the northern side of the Cold War's last frontier.

It also coincides with mounting pressure on Pyongyang to call off a more than one-year boycott of international talks to end its efforts to build a nuclear arsenal.

The presidential office had earlier also said a South Korean vessel had fired at an unidentified vessel in the North.

The government held an emergency security meeting following the incident, Yonhap news agency said.

The ship was sinking near the disputed Yellow Sea border off the west coast of the peninsula which was the scene of two deadly naval fights between the rival Koreas in the past decade.

Local media reports said at least 59 South Korean sailors survived the attack and an unknown number appeared to have been killed or are missing. A rescue operation was under way.

Navies from the rival Koreas exchanged gunfire for the first time in seven years in the Yellow Sea waters in November, damaging vessels on both sides.

The international community has been pressuring the North to give up efforts to build nuclear weapons, promising help for its broken economy if it does so.

There has been widespread speculation that North Korea's iron ruler, Kim Jong-il, was about to visit China, his only significant ally and on which he has depended almost entirely for economic aid after a new conservative government in Seoul effectively ended years of free-flowing assistance.

In Washington, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said a nuclear arms reduction treaty announced with Russia earlier in the day showed states like North Korea that non-proliferation was a top priority for Moscow and Washington.



The following locations for the Nuclear Facilities (Source: FAS):
FAS (Federation of American Scientists)

Satellite imagery via /US Committee for Human Rights in North Korea. Seclected North Korean Prison Camp Locations
Source:U.S. Committee for Human Rights in North Korea

US envoy blasts 'appalling' NKorean human rights:

Strengthening the Global Leadership under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty to stop the spread of these weapons, and to ensure that other nations meet their own responsibilities.

President Obama and President Medvedev agreed to meet in Prague, the Czech Republic, on Thursday, April 8, to sign the Treaty between the United States of America and the Russian Federation. This was the 14th meeting and shared commitment to “reset” U.S.-Russia relations which shows the mutual interest along many dimensions.

21 Consecutive 5 inch Deck Gun Shots from US NAVY DESTROYER

November 10, 2009 :North and South Korean naval ships have fired on each other off the western coast of the peninsula. Each claims the other side violated their territorial waters. (Nov 10)

Sources: Yahoo, Reuters, Youtube, CNN, White House
Reported by Catch4all.com, Sandra Englund.

Global Link

Click to see 787 Dreamliner

Boeing NewGen Tanker

 787 DREAMLINER Accomplishes Major Mileston : POWER ON

The Biggest in the World
Boeing Airplane 747-8

You Will Never Forget Dreamliner 787

The Boeing Company Products


Boeing Outlook 2008 to 2027

Global Tanker Home Page

FUTURE OF FLIGHT

Positive Viewers' Menu
2003 to 2010

Catch4all.com is proud to provide positive websites for the communities and for
the positive viewers from all over the world.....

Thank you for visiting Catch4all.com. Please be sure bookmark our site.
Since 1999 ©Catch4all.com. All rights reserved.