Yono class midget submarine
Posted on 06/18/2010 8:48:01 PM PDT by ErnstStavroBlofeld
A North Korea submarine crew member has gone public for the first time to disclose details of Pyongyang's submarine operations.
Lee Kwang Soo, 46, is the sole crew member remaining from the captured North Korean Sango class submarine that ran aground on a South Korean beach during an espionage mission in September 1996.
North Korean submarine captured by South Korea in 1996. Lee broke his silence after the international investigation revealed Pyongyang’s role in the torpedo attack against the South Korean ship Cheonan.
"I have seen 130-ton Yeoneo class submarines several times," he explained, refuting the North Korean claim to possessing no such vessels. "I received helmsman training for submarines from Romeo class down to midget subs; the Yeoneo class sub is a modified version of the Yugo class."
North Korea’s submarines are based on Mayang Island, South Hamkyung Province, where repairs are made.
Lee said Cubans visited a submarine and hovercraft manufacturing plant next to Shinpo Dockyard in South Hamkyung Province, which he says is disguised as Bongdae boiler factory. The Cubans were interested in buying submarines, he said.
Lee said North Korea has human torpedo brigades that ride torpedoes to their targets.
"North Korea's assertion that a 130-ton submarine cannot carry a 1.7-ton torpedo in a 'C' formation to attack and then retreat is false," he said bluntly.
He said that “for a 130-ton submarine to penetrate the West Sea by sailing alone through the East Sea and to return; that is impossible. However, if it travels with a command vessel disguised as a trawler, then even that is not difficult.
(Excerpt) Read more at east-asia-intel.com ...
Ping
I have a feeling the Mayang Island base will soon be destroyed.
bump
Uh...human brigades that ride torpedoes to their targets???
If that statement is propaganda, then it casts doubt on other statements. Any sub types out there - is it possible that NK has such torpedo jockeys and if so, why?
Manifestly.
Nam Vet
fyi: link requires logon/registration
Yes
The Japanese in late WW II had human piloted torpedoes. I’ve seen schematics for them, and schematics for NK versions.
Why? If you have no regard for the value of human life, as is clear of the NK leadership, a human being is cheaper and more accurate as a guidance system than a computer.
As to the torpedo pilots motivation—no need for bushido in NK: There was the joke about Kim and Putin testing their body guards—they order them to jump out a 20th story window. Putin’s break’s down sobbing that he has a family, and Putin asks his forgiveness. Kim’s guard dashes for the window, and Putin tackles him to stop him. Kim’s guard struggles, trying to get away to dive out the window, protesting, “let me go. . .I have a family. . .”
I think the guy just wants a book deal. They can say anything, just like VanderSuck.
I think he is real. He seems to know where ther training locations are and where they are kept.This is information that is not normally known by reporters.
LOL!
Oh yeah IIRC he spent WWII as our prisoner and did not get any other action in the war.
Do you remember his name ?
In that show or another they discussed the Toyoda sub but did not interview a Toyoda member.
Again for some reason that was not taken as a sign of the attack to come.
My parents when they went to Hawaii (on my dads R&R from ‘Nam) had gotten me several books at Pearl, but I don't think I have that any longer. The Toyoda sub story was in one of those too.
There are others in this same bay, and several more in the next bay to the west.
The the bay at the west part of the Island seems to be a base for lots of small boats.
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