Kim Tae Young, South Korea’s Minister of National Defense and the member of the Lee administration who has been most outspoken about the possibility of North Korean involvement in the Cheonan tragedy, has acknowledged that, at the time of the sinking, naval authorities doubtless believed that North Korea was responsible for it.
“At the time of the incident, naval officers certainly judged that it was North Korea’s deed,” Kim told the National Assembly’s National Defense Committee yesterday, pointing to two known facts, “The commander of the 2nd fleet promptly advanced the ‘Sokcho’. Also, the commander of the ‘Sokcho’ judged that the enemy was escaping and ordered the vessel to open fire.”
One lawmaker then asked Kim why, in that case, a military response was not being considered. Kim disagreed, saying that all options are on the table, adding, “We have said that we will consider every possibility; we did not state that we are excluding the possibility of North Korean involvement. But, although we now know that the ship was destroyed by external pressure, we still cannot rule out other possibilities.”
Commenting in more detail on the methods at North Korea’s disposal in such a situation, Kim said, “North Korea possesses some torpedo manufacturing technology, however, they could have made additional purchases from China or elsewhere. In a case like this, North Korea could have purchased and used a product other than a domestic product.”
Either way, Kim added that the administration will do everything possible to solve the Cheonan case, telling the Committee, “We will do our best to establish the cause, to make sure that this will not remain an unsolved case.”
However, he pointed out, “There is the twisted condition of the ship, which means that there are several facts we have to assume. We will try to make sure we locate specific parts for clearer evidence.”
However, he stated, “There are several obstacles, including situation (i.e. North Korea using a third country weapon). While there is currently a high possibility of a mine or torpedo having been used, due to the limited evidence the case might end up unsolved.”
