South Korea Confirms That A Direct Heavy Torpedo Sank The Cheonan, Won't Accuse North Korea

The Business Insider ^ | 5-1-2010 | Gus Lubin

[blam]

South Korea Confirms That A Direct Heavy Torpedo Sank The Cheonan, But Still Won't Accuse North Korea

Gus Lubin
May. 1, 2010, 8:57 AM

South Korea's own CSI team has figured out the exact cause of the Cheonan shipwreck, except for one key detail.

Here's what they know so far, according to Chosun Ilbo:

A team of scientists believes that the Navy corvette Cheonan sank after being hit by a heavy 206 kg torpedo that ran at a speed of 65 km/h.... exploded underwater 2.3 m from the ship with power equivalent to 206 kg of TNT... a series of internal explosions occurred in the stern for about 80 seconds... the ship was probably hit by a Chinese-made 206 kg-class Yu-3 heavy torpedo.

What they don't know can't prove is that North Korea fired the torpedo.

Let's consider who could have fired the torpedo. China could be blowing up foreign ships to prove its dominance in the region. A Soviet submarine that never came home could be on the rampage. Al Qaeda might have their own submarine. Or it could be the militaristic rogue state next door that has a long history of nearly provoking war.

The only real question is whether this was a stupid, irrational move by Kim Jong-il or part of a larger plan to force economic concessions.

Your move, Myung-bak Lee.

Here's what's at risk: What You Need To Know About The South Korea Economy -->

[snip]

[Army Air Corps]

Ping.

[GonzoGOP]

Heavy Torpedo Sank The Cheonan, Won't Accuse North Korea

Because those wild rouge torpedo's are just wandering around the ocean looking for ships.

[johniegrad]

There wasn't very much information at the link about their economy. Is the implication being made that the south either cannot afford to go to war or that the infrastructure for war does not exist?

If either of these things are the issue, a counter strike that resulted in war would assume our assistance. I'm not sure we have the military capacity to engage in this. A nuke war might result if conventional forces are not adequate.

And China in that event?

[Texas Fossil]

Yu-3 Anti-Submarine Torpedo

from http://www.sinodefence.com/navy/weapon/yu3.asp

They must have calculated from the damage the required explosive and backed into which torpedo

This does not look like it would launch form a "small" sub.

[Texas Fossil]

http://www.sinodefence.com/navy/weapon/yu3.asp

The Yu-3 is an acoustic-homing, submarine-launched, anti-submarine warfare (ASW) torpedo designed by Xi’an Precision Machinery Institute (705 Institute, a subordinate of China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation). Initially developed for China’s nuclear submarine programme, it is China’s first indigenous anti-submarine torpedo and entered service with the PLA navy in the mid-1980s. An improved variant known as Yu-3II (also known as Zhonhuaxun-II or ET-32 in its export names) was introduced in the 1990s.

[ichabod1]

I’m pretty sure we have the military capacity. But SK has to know that we very likely do not have the political capacity.

[TigerLikesRooster]

S. Korean military recovered debris made up of some aluminum compound. They think composition of debris are different from materials used to build Cheonan. Since many torpedoes are made of aluminum compound, they suspect the debris from the torpedo which hit Cheonan. The investigation is still on-going and there is no final word on this yet.

[Pikachu_Dad]

It means that they have an entire city worth of people living in harms way of a enormous number of mortars and artillery.

It means that they suspect that the attacker is already on a war footing and that they are clearly not. So any war that they provoke right now would result in heavy initial losses.

[Pikachu_Dad]

once they make the accusation, they are obligated to declare war.

they had better be sure of their allies positions (big 0) before they trigger something.

especially if the twerps might just have a nuke.

[Logical me]

While the world sits on its as@ there is no doubt that North Korea must be destroyed. King Obama is a fool not to announce full support to South Korea and those responsible will be punished. Fat Chance!!!! This empty suit nitwit is a coward and North Korea could be crushed in a week. Nukes.

[bert]

He left out Iran.

Iran is begging for war and if America is distracted in Korea, it is to their benefit

from wiki
Being one of Iran’s largest defense expenditures, the Nahang submarine is Iran’s second attempt at designing and manufacturing submarines. In service since March 2006, the Nahang 1 is fully compatible to conditions in the Persian Gulf.

[Oratam]

Let's consider who could have fired the torpedo. China could be blowing up foreign ships to prove its dominance in the region. A Soviet submarine that never came home could be on the rampage. Al Qaeda might have their own submarine. Or it could be the militaristic rogue state next door that has a long history of nearly provoking war.

SPECTRE?

[Mac from Cleveland]

Who the hell is their President these days-it it BO’s half-brother Chung Lee Hussein-Soetero-Kim?

[popdonnelly]

Looks like democracies are going down the drain again, if we’re afraid to point the finger at North Korea. So what stupid thing will the North Koreans do next?

[BushCountry]

Actually the torpedo was launch by the flock of birds they were shooting at.

[stormer]

Interesting (and odd) they have so specifically identified the weapon. Was the SK navy running a live fire exercise at the time of the sinking? IOW, did they accidentally sink their own ship and are now looking for a way to cover that up?

[ichabod1]

That’s why they call them world wars.

[VOA]

bump

[circlecity]

I sure if South Korea just keeps quite, assigns no blame and does nothing that North Korea will see the error of its ways and be good from here on out. Right?