Posted on 07/03/2009 7:10:33 AM PDT by jhpigott
Friday, July 3, 2009 Andrew Salmon
YEONGJONG ISLAND, South Korea | On their island base in a tense Yellow Sea, black-clad commando squads armed with automatic weapons surge up ladders onto the deck of a training ship, fast-rope down building exteriors and detonate explosives.
The Special Sea Attack Team (SSAT), an elite South Korean Coast Guard unit tasked with countering maritime terrorism, is preparing to respond with tougher policies to North Korean shipping in response to North Korea's missile launches and its second nuclear test in May. North Korea fired four short-range missiles into waters off the east coast Thursday, Yonhap news agency reported.
"We have not got word from above yet," said Inspector Joung Ku-so, who was suited in body armor and bristling with weapons. "But we are practicing boarding drills for PSI," he said, referring to the U.S.-led Proliferation Security Initiative that aims to block ships from carrying weapons materials to the North.
"The guidelines for rules of engagement have changed," said Coast Guard spokesman Yun Byeong-du. "In the past, vessels had to get permission from the Blue House [presidential residence] to retaliate. Now it is up to captains." The Coast Guard is just the front line in the toughest South Korean defense posture in more than a decade.
Last week, the defense ministry told the nation's parliament that South Korea was boosting its pre-emptive strike capabilities to counter the North's missile and nuclear threat. According to Yonhap, South Korea's military has moved air and artillery assets to the Yellow Sea border region as insurance against possible North Korean gunboat or missile attacks.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...
ping
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.