(South Korean)Defense Committee Passes Resolution on Cheonan Sinking

The Chosun Ilbo ^ | 6/24/2010 | The Chosun Ilbo

[ErnstStavroBlofeld]

The National Assembly's Defense Committee on Wednesday passed a resolution accusing North Korea of torpedoing the South Korean Navy corvette Cheonan. It took 89 days since the ship sank in the West Sea on March 26.

Both the U.S. Congress and European Parliament were quicker to react by passing relevant resolutions on May 14 at the Senate and May 26 at the House of Representatives and on June 17 in Strasbourg.

The resolution is now expected to pass a full session of the National Assembly on June 28. The main opposition Democratic Party is expected to make no attempt to block its passage, although it is calling for doubts about the findings of an inquiry into the sinking to be cleared up first.

The committee passed the resolution in a session attended by seven ruling Grand National Party lawmakers, four DP lawmakers, and one Liberty Forward Party lawmaker.

DP lawmakers presented opposing views for about 40 minutes. Committee chairman Won Yoo-chul did not put it to a vote but asked, "No objection?" and struck the gavel. DP lawmakers shouted protest, saying the resolution had been "railroaded through."

The resolution says the torpedo attack by the North was a "blatant military provocation" in violation of the armistice agreement, the basic inter-Korean agreement, and the UN Charter. It strongly urges the North to apologize, punish those responsible, make reparations, and promise to prevent a recurrence of similar incidents. It also urges the government to take firm steps against all provocations by the North.

[JSteff]

I thought I saw on FR that South Korea just said the north had NOTHING to do with the sinking?
So what is up?

[ErnstStavroBlofeld]

I do not know what you are reading.

[driftdiver]

“I thought I saw on FR that South Korea just said the north had NOTHING to do with the sinking?”

You thought wrong.