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| China-Japan-Koreas |
| Mystery surrounds sinking of S Korean ship |
| 2010-03-27 |
| Almost 60 people were rescued on Friday from a sinking South Korean naval ship, which had a crew of 100, though US and South Korean officials played down suggestions that North Korea might have had a role. Initial reports hinted that a North Korean ship might have been involved. But a presidential aide on Friday night told the Yonhap news agency that there had been no sign of North Korean military in the area. The agency quoted the official as saying that satellite pictures and other information showed no sign of any North Korean activity in the vicinity. If the sinking did result from a North Korean attack, it would be a dangerous escalation of tensions by the reclusive dictatorship, which last year fired a long-range missile over Japan and tested its second atomic warhead. A war-footing on the peninsula would be a blow to South Korea, which is hoping to use its presidency of the G20 leading economies this year to improve its standing internationally. South Korea said 58 sailors had been rescued, but had no other comment. Seoul's presidential office said it had convened an emergency meeting of security officials to determine the cause of the sinking and consider any response. The defence ministry said the ship was holed below the waterline but declined to specify a cause. Seoul said a second South Korean warship opened fire after the sinking. South Korean media initially said the salvoes were aimed at a North Korean ship, but the joint chiefs of staff said suspicious movements on a radar screen could have been caused by a flock of birds. North and South Korean ships exchanged fire in the same waters in November. Clashes in 1999 and 2002 prompted the South Korean navy to insist it had improved its defences. |
| Posted by:tipper |
| #18 'moose, you've illustrated quite directly just how much of an a&&hole Shipman chose to be earlier in this thread. |
| Posted by: lotp 2010-03-27 19:29 |
| #17 He has my sympathy, 'moose. Too many of us ended up on the wrong side of things when 'nothing' was going on. |
| Posted by: Pappy 2010-03-27 19:16 |
| #16 Pappy: I had a great deal of respect for this particular warrant, because he had ended up on the wrong side of a Nork mortar round, which had left him severely disabled. He made his living as an interpreter for the LAPD when dealing with the Korean community. |
| Posted by: Anonymoose 2010-03-27 19:10 |
| #15 It was awesome, packa, packa, packa, pew, pew, pew. That's the interesting thing about South Korea. Some places, like Seoul, are cosmopolitan. Other places like Pusan and Ulong Do Island, are still on a war-footing. And nasty stuff does happen. Speaking of nasty - y'know, if your entire intent is to be an asshole at the Burg, Tom, you're doing a damn good job of it. |
| Posted by: Pappy 2010-03-27 16:23 |
| #14 Sounds like a mine. Or bad Kimchi. |
| Posted by: Mizzou Mafia 2010-03-27 12:58 |
| #13 It appears the bow capsized after separation of the stern section, staying afloat for 'some time'... link here |
| Posted by: logi_cal 2010-03-27 12:16 |
| #12 More: "...sunken craft Cheonan which officials said is protruding from the shallow waters about 24 meters deep" "Choi Won-il, captain of the sunken vessel, said his ship tilted to the right soon after he heard a loud bang as he was looking over an operation plan in his cabin. "All power and communication means were lost," he said. "When I came out of the cabin, the rear of the vessel was already missing," he told a group of families of the missing sailors. The defense minister said images of Cheonan, as taken by special equipment called thermal observation device (TOD), indicate that the ship was split in half before sinking." Lastly (I agree): " "It is hard to say for sure now, but chances appear to be slim that North Korea was related," a senior official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity. "If North Korea's attack really caused the sinking, it means there is a serious loophole in our defense system." " Quite the understatement.
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| Posted by: logi_cal 2010-03-27 12:12 |
| #11 no mention how deep she rests either. |
| Posted by: Redneck Jim 2010-03-27 11:59 |
| #10 I wonder if they ran over one of their own mines? |
| Posted by: tu3031 2010-03-27 11:53 |
| #9 From http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/southkorea/7529836/No-evidence-that-North-Korea-was-behind-sinking-of-warship.html "Navy divers are being dispatched to the scene of the sinking of the 1,200 tonne corvette Cheonan to inspect damage to the shipÂ’s stern which was holed by a massive explosion which lifted the boat 1ft into the air, according to the Yonhap news agency." Sounds like a mine or torpedo to me...hope it's resting with the damage exposed. |
| Posted by: logi_cal 2010-03-27 11:52 |
#8 It was awesome, packa, packa, packa, pew, pew, pew. Shipman, out on parole already? Have you registered yet? |
| Posted by: Secret Asian Man 2010-03-27 11:25 |
| #7 Besides it's an F1 Weekend. /Lee Harvey O |
| Posted by: Shipman 2010-03-27 11:19 |
#6 Damn. That embed is huge. I should have have resized that. Sorry, Mods.
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| Posted by: Mike N. 2010-03-27 11:18 |
| #5 Naw, never to early. Insanity has it's own rules. |
| Posted by: Shipman 2010-03-27 11:17 |
| #4 It's 5 o'clock somewhere. |
| Posted by: Mike N. 2010-03-27 11:15 |
| #3 It's a little early in the day for you to start trashing all the regulars who've served in uniform, isn't it Shipman? |
| Posted by: lotp 2010-03-27 11:12 |
| #2 Yep, I can vouch for that. I knew the LP/OP d00d we shared the same dealer. It was awesome, packa, packa, packa, pew, pew, pew. |
| Posted by: Shipman 2010-03-27 10:57 |
| #1 If it was a Nork attack, the South may deny it, to officially avoid escalation, but at the same time begin a program of revenge. If this is the case, expect there to be some major "disasters" in the North, soon. Typically, several times each year there are incidents where the North tries some attack. One time, for example, a large unit crossed a river and butchered many of the soldiers in a large garrison while they were asleep, then got back across. The South did not publicize it at all. However, that Nork unit tried it a second time. When they were halfway across the river, they discovered that the South had covered the river with heavy machine guns. Wiped them out. But no mention in the news at all. I learned of it from a US Warrant Officer manning an LP/OP at the time. |
| Posted by: Anonymoose 2010-03-27 09:34 |