Posted on 03/29/2010 5:47:11 AM PDT by jhpigott
BAENGNYEONG ISLAND, South Korea (AP) -- South Korea's defense minister says North Korea may have intentionally floated a mine to damage a naval ship that exploded and sank this week.
Forty-six crew members are missing and believed trapped within the wreckage of the ship, which went down Friday. Fifty-eight were rescued
While the cause of the explosion is unknown, Defense Minister Kim Tae-young told lawmakers in Seoul on Monday that rival North Korea may have floated a mine toward the ship. He also said the explosion could have been caused by a mine placed during the Korean War.
(Excerpt) Read more at hosted.ap.org ...
Same thing the Indians did when the pakis shot up Bombay?
“The DPRK has a credible mine warfare capability. There are numerous small surface ships that are capable of delivering mines within both the navy and civilian sectors.
Mines will be used to defend against amphibious assaults, defend strategic ports, and provide seaward flank protection for land forces.
Defensive mine fields will be monitored by coastal observation teams and radar, and they will be supported by well emplaced artillery and missile batteries. This will make close approach and mine clearing operations extremely hazardous.
DPRK has a large inventory of older technology mines, significant historical experience with their effectiveness, and, most importantly, the willingness to use them.”
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/dprk/navy.htm
Thanks jhpigott.
A few new articles from Yonhap on the incident. A couple items -
1) SK is keeping the door open for the possibility of NK involvement
2) The US appears to be trying to close that same door
3) NK coastal units are on alert
4) SK military “on alert”
http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/national/2010/0...
http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/national/2010/0...
http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/national/2010/0...
Thanks.
The day it happened ( while the media and just about everybody else had their head in the sand ) Michael Savage said he had no doubt the ship had been blown up by NK . Looks like he was right ...again .
It was an educated guess...No one would have been surprised though...
thanks for the update - looks like after a weekend where S.K. was stepping all over itself trying to play down the possibility of any N.K. involvement, they are slowing bringing the NORK angle back into the public discussion . . .
Korean bloggers are now starting to ask the question - if it was N.K., what is the appropriate response? . . .
What Should Be South Koreas Reaction If North Korea Sunk Korean Warship?
March 30, 2010
Defense Minister Says Warship May Have Hit NK Mine
March 30, 2010
http://www.rjkoehler.com/2010/03/30/defense-minister-says-warship-may-have-hit-nk-mine/
Discussion: What should Seoul do if it was a North Korean mine?
March 30, 2010
http://www.monster-island.net/2010/03/discussion-what-should-seoul-do-if-it.html
Too late for an effective response...
I think they need to mobilize and be ready to respond in totality when the NK’s do something else stupid in the future...
What little lights in NK can be turned out rather quickly by the South Korean armed forces...
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