Security dilemma over the sinking of a South Korean vessel
Roman Vinadia
Issue date: 6/15/10 Section: News
On May 20 2010, a five country panel composed of South Korea, Canada, Britain, Australia and the United States confirmed that the Cheonan, a South Korean ship that sank on March 26, killing 46 sailors, had been torpedoed by a North Korean midget-submarine. While North Korea continues to deny its involvement, the panel found that recovered parts of the torpedo matched the characteristics of torpedoes found on a North Korean brochure for arms exports and purchases.
Since the attack, the international community has largely rallied behind South Korea condemning the attack with Australia and Britain being the first to express their condolences, the US also offered its support. As US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton stated during a US-China meeting in Beijing on May 24, "The Republic of Korea can continue to count on the full support of the United States".
This attack has put the relationship between North and South Korea under serious strains. The two have yet to sign a peace treaty ending the Korean War, and according to international relations scholar Sean Kay, more than two thirds of North Korea's one million strong army is stationed within 150km of the border. It is also thought to have nuclear arms capable of reaching Seoul - South Korea's capital city - within minutes. Making military actions out of the question for South Korea and its allies, including the United States, who according to the New York Times, has an average of 28,500 soldiers stationed in the South.
Clinton has called for "strong but measured response" but the question of how to respond effectively to the North's threats is not an easy one to answer. As Reynolds, a BBC journalist puts it, "the South is left to make a lot of diplomatic noise, with American echoes".
According to the BBC Seoul responded with "a package of measures, including a halt to most trade". Pyongyang then closed the Kaesong industrial complex, a shared enterprise resulting from the Sunshine policy aimed at promoting exchange between the neighbours. The park was however reopened on May 26; Jang Cheol-hyeon, researcher at the Institute for National Security Strategy explains to the BBC that the North needs Kaesong to save "the cards it needs in order to play the game".
Since the attack, the international community has largely rallied behind South Korea condemning the attack with Australia and Britain being the first to express their condolences, the US also offered its support. As US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton stated during a US-China meeting in Beijing on May 24, "The Republic of Korea can continue to count on the full support of the United States".
This attack has put the relationship between North and South Korea under serious strains. The two have yet to sign a peace treaty ending the Korean War, and according to international relations scholar Sean Kay, more than two thirds of North Korea's one million strong army is stationed within 150km of the border. It is also thought to have nuclear arms capable of reaching Seoul - South Korea's capital city - within minutes. Making military actions out of the question for South Korea and its allies, including the United States, who according to the New York Times, has an average of 28,500 soldiers stationed in the South.
Clinton has called for "strong but measured response" but the question of how to respond effectively to the North's threats is not an easy one to answer. As Reynolds, a BBC journalist puts it, "the South is left to make a lot of diplomatic noise, with American echoes".
According to the BBC Seoul responded with "a package of measures, including a halt to most trade". Pyongyang then closed the Kaesong industrial complex, a shared enterprise resulting from the Sunshine policy aimed at promoting exchange between the neighbours. The park was however reopened on May 26; Jang Cheol-hyeon, researcher at the Institute for National Security Strategy explains to the BBC that the North needs Kaesong to save "the cards it needs in order to play the game".
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