Gunpower found in Cheonan traced to torpedo: official

[geekpants.livejournal.com]

SEOUL, May 7 (Yonhap) -- Traces of gunpowder found in the wreckage of a sunken South Korean naval ship have been identified as those generated by the explosion of a torpedo, a government official said Friday.

The latest finding is expected to further back suspicions that a torpedo attack caused the explosion of the 1,200-ton patrol ship Cheonan near the tense Yellow Sea border with North Korea on March 26. The Cheonan broke in two and sank, killing 46 sailors.

"Explosive traces found in the Cheonan's chimney and the seabed on which the stern's broken-off side had been lying were all confirmed as those of the high explosive RDX, which is more powerful than TNT," the official said on condition of anonymity. "This explosive is used in torpedoes, not sea mines."

RDX, which stands for research department explosive, is a white crystalline solid and is considered the most powerful high explosive and a main ingredient in plastic explosives.

Four alloy fragments have also been found in the wreckage, which was salvaged last month, and an analysis has showed that they were an alloy of aluminum and magnesium used in a torpedo's casing, the official said.

Investigators are also looking into the possibility that a German-made torpedo might have been used in a move by North Korea to disguise the attack, as South Korea and the United States use German torpedoes.



Foreign specialists from the United States, Sweden, Australia and Britain have joined South Korea's investigation into the sinking, as Seoul sought to ensure the probe is transparent and objective.

After the investigation is complete, South Korea could invite experts from China and Russia, countries close to North Korea, to provide them with a first-hand look at the ship's wreckage, Defense Ministry spokesman Won Tae-jae said.

Won said the outcome is expected to come before the end of this month.

Earlier this week, President Lee Myung-bak told a conference of top military generals that the sinking was not a "simple accident," while Defense Minister Kim Tae-young said a "surprise attack" sank the vessel, although neither directly mentioned the communist neighbor.

North Korea has denied any responsibility.

Suspicions of North Korea's involvement have been strong, as the site of the sinking lies near where the navies of the two Koreas fought deadly skirmishes in 1999, 2002 and most recently in November last year.

jschang@yna.co.kr



source: Yonhap News

Comments

[dokidokidaichi.livejournal.com]

AND ALL THE MUSIC SHOWS ARE CANCELLED!!!!!1

[poison-cheeks.livejournal.com]

A+

[geekpants.livejournal.com]

Anyone complaining (not you BB) about that ish again will have their face cheerfully bashed against my palm.

People don't understand that if this sparks a new war, you can kiss goodbye to any semblance of entertainment for the next few months, possibly years - not weeks. Idiots.

[bitter-sweet05.livejournal.com]

WHY CAN'T WE ALL JUST GET ALONG.

[awesomeful.livejournal.com]

I hope whatever happened can all be figured out, soon. :/

[sunghyeon.livejournal.com]

Can't blame NK if the ship was in their territory. Also, this just looks like the world trying to frame NK to make them look like the bad guys as usual. Not saying what NK does is right, but SK and the world isn't any better.

[music3chick.livejournal.com]

Hm? It seems to me that South Korea is being very careful in trying not to quickly point any fingers and have a non-bias investigation by letting other countries see and be involved in the process.

[jaded-skys.livejournal.com]

BB, I'd suggest a re-read and some time researching this before making comments like this.

...that a torpedo attack caused the explosion of the 1,200-ton patrol ship Cheonan near the tense Yellow Sea border with North Korea[...]

This happened inside South Korean boarders, so your first justification in void.

I'm just... honey, do you know anything about the history of the Korean war? You saying that this looks like the world's making the North the bad guys in this is like saying some attack back during WWII was just the world demonizing the Nazis. The North isn't promoting genocide or trying to take over the world, but they do a good job of killing their own people and making sure that they keep it underwraps and brainwashed.

The north and the south are still at war and have been since it began. We're currently living under a cease-fire, not a peace treaty. Things like the Cheonan could indeed be an invitation for war, and seeing as there's no real reason for the other military forces in the Yellow Sea, all of which are allies who would then have to fight as well, want to try and force a war?

You saying we should give them a break for what they do and that the rest of the world is the same is basically saying that you don't mind and actually expect things like dictatorship, brainwashing, forced poverty for the gain of dictators, citizens living in fear for their family, and most importantly at this moment, that you don't mind the slaughter of those poor kids on the Cheonan, most who were between 18~21, who most certainly did not deserve to die.

Knowing more about the situation and the history will help you make informed posts, and not insinuate that you support dictatorship.

[newlines.livejournal.com]

i think it was kind of obvious... but it all depends on how south korea acts. even though north korea has been violating serious human rights, they dont do anything about it. i know its a sticky situation, but to just sit around and cooperate with the NK govt. for a few years by giving them food and resources... :/ the situation can only get worse.

[xx-cubicles.livejournal.com]

I see where you're coming from, but I can see why they would feed resources into NK - trying to help the people and all? Whether it actually helps is another thing...but I agree that it depends on how SK acts, things could go very wrong if they take a wrong action :/

[cynicalsnark.livejournal.com]

The sad thing about human rights in NK is that it'll always take a backseat to foreign policy issues. For instance, SK will negotiate with NK to make sure the populous doesn't starve, but there's always that "elephant in the room" kind of tension wondering whether or not the country is just to use those resources to further weapons research.

It's the same with the U.N. There's concern over the human rights issue, but as long as NK is a nuclear power, who has been noted to spread the weapons to other regions such as Myanmar and Iran (which are not only hostile to the west but are also ill-equipped to deal with terrorists seizing those weapons), then the gross human rights abuses will always sit on the back burner.

It doesn't help as well that one of the big key players in negotiating with NK is China who doesn't have the greatest of Human rights records herself, which makes it difficult on a world scale to bring major change without causing something even worse.

[jaded-skys.livejournal.com]

It's not as simple as that. The South tries, far more than just trying to send some resources, all (and if not all, the vast, vast majority) of which the North turns down. The refuse aid from the South, actually taking American grain and resources over anything offered from South Korea.

[ramunerain.livejournal.com]

oh, god. D;
i hope everything is resolved soon...

[eina9.livejournal.com]

I expect to see a lot more interesting developments on this as South Korea tries to find a public position. It seems that the government would not want to affect their hosting responsibilities at the G20 Summit and other diplomatic roles coming up this year, hence the cautious investigation and reluctance to officially point fingers.

[x3sarang.livejournal.com]

SK will always be fast to blame NK, but since NK are even claiming that they did it, this time they have a basis to :| damn this is serious.

[cynicalsnark.livejournal.com]

I'm assuming this attack was for continuing internal reasons rather than an attempt to incite the South into a show of hard power. I'm guessing Kim Jong-Il is still trying to prove his son to be a worthy successor.

I do hope that they invite representatives from China and Russia as well, particularly China. If there's to be any lessening of the tensions in that region, I think it'll have to be them leading the charge, rather than having the world always look to the U.S. (and the U.N. which is either at a standstill or only associated with the West). China's been growing as an economic power, so it's time to exercise some of that inadvertently gained political clout.

[black-silver.livejournal.com]

China's been growing as an economic power, so it's time to exercise some of that inadvertently gained political clout.

this fills me with so much dread

[thirddyfrk.livejournal.com]

IA. China is needed to lead this, not US or it will not be taken seriously. The fact that Mr. il is in China this week is a clear sign who has any control over NK. I wouldn't look to Russia. They have their own issues and have kinda washed their hands of NK. China is still funding NK and many suspect this new visit is NK asking for more funding.
I may not like China's politics and its human rights issues, but it has made changes to become more acceptable to the world, is becoming a world power and holds the money bag of NK.
UN and the West (including US) needs to stay in the background and just offer support. I suspect NK would love for the US to charge in and declare NK guilty as well as lead the charge to punish the NK. This just plays into NK power play. Let's stop playing with NK loonies. Give the clout to China and allow them to be punisher. It is only fair and might cause NK to think before doing something foolish again. (Money and aid from China is a big deal to NK-without it, NK would be completely isolated and doomed).

[ashiva.livejournal.com]

I just wish on day China got bored with NK and conquered it as SK can't really ever go into war with NK because NK would destroy Seoul (several millions of SK civilians would die in that strike).

[guiltyschu.livejournal.com]

Heh, conquering, never going to happen, China only cares about China. They're quite big on staying out of other country's domestic affairs. If NK/SK issues can even be counted as a 'domestic' affair.

On the other hand, China doesn't really like having a cranky, poor, hungry, nuclear-armed neighbour...and NK owes China quite a bit of money. When it concerns them, China is quite happy to dish out a diplomatic smack-down, and they've done it to NK in the past, so. There's always a chance of that happening.

NK is a country that no one really wants to touch.

[thirddyfrk.livejournal.com]

No body wants NK and its multiple issues that will have to be dealt with if one takes over the country. You got starving people, ancient infrustructure, corrupt officials who will not give up their luxuries without a fight, people who will have to be re-educated (everything is supplied to them-what little there is), no industry (you will have to create it and train the people), a wacked military that I don't think anyone will want to merge into their own, nature resources that have been completely drained and honestly, nothing worth the effort of taking over. Instead it is a big money hole that will be a drain on anyone's economy if taken. Plus, you know crime, black market, and violence will become rampant once the government is toppled.
All in all, this is why China has not invade and will not invade-there is nothing to take. NK is already a leech to them. I am sure China would love for someone else to take the burden of providing financial aid to NK but there are no volunteers. Hell, we are having issues will bailing out Greece and that at least has natural resources, a healthy tourist industry and businesses to provide funds to the people of that country.
This is one of the big reason unification will probably never happen. SK says NK must be similar in status-financially, and structurally before it will allow unification to happen. We can see what NK thinks about that-Not listening.

[jaerotic.livejournal.com]

I remember an article from a few months ago with NK 'declaring war' (as if there wasn't any) on SK... maybe this was the physical manifestation of it. :/ They were a bit serious after all.

I'm scared about what could possibly happen.

[peachywink.livejournal.com]

I don't understand why they didn't go to war with north korea back when they kidnapped that director and his wife from south korea and forced them to make propaganda films for eight years until they escaped.
North Korea is not a nice country so of course people will look to them even if there innocent of this 1 crime. They made people suspicious of them.