S.Korean ship sinking, North attack suspected: report

[Toad]

(I'm hearing it was a torpedo and there are confirmed numerous casualties._


http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE62P30E20100326

S.Korean ship sinking, North attack suspected: report

(Reuters) - A South Korean naval vessel with more than 100 aboard was sinking on Friday in waters near North Korea and Seoul was investigating whether it was hit in a torpedo attack by the North, South Korean media said.

Broadcaster SBS said many South Korean sailors on the stricken vessel were feared dead.

South Korea's YTN TV network said the government was investigating whether the sinking was due to a torpedo attack by the North, and Yonhap news agency said the Seoul government had convened an emergency meeting of security-related ministers.

Yonhap also reported a South Korean navy ship firing toward an unidentified vessel to the north.

North Korea in recent weeks has said it was bolstering its defenses in response to joint South Korean-U.S. military drills that were held this month.

(Reporting by Cho Mee-young and Jon Herskovitz; Writing by Alex Richardson; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan)

[American Patriot]

Fox hasn't confirmed anything other than the ship is sinking and there's a huge rescue effort on-going at the moment.

[Toad]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010...vy-ship-attack

South Korean sailors feared dead after navy ship sinks off North Korea coast

Sinking vessel has 104 crew members on board as separate ship reportedly fires at unidentified carrier near north island

Adam Gabbatt

guardian.co.uk, Friday 26 March 2010 15.07 GMT

A South Korean naval coast defense ship on patrol. Photograph: Jeon Heon-Kyun/EPA
A South Korean navy ship with 104 crew members on board is sinking off the coast of North Korea, according to the South Korean Yonhap newsagency.

A separate South Korean ship has reportedly fired at an unidentified ship sailing north from the area.

Reuters news agency quoted South Korea's YTN TV network, which reported Seoul was investigating whether the unnamed vessel was damaged in a torpedo attack by North Korea.

The ship is understood to have come into difficulties near the island of Baengnyeong, which is controlled by South Korea.

Officials said an operation is underway in the Yellow Sea to rescue crew from the 1,500 tonne ship.

The South Korean government has convened an emergency meeting of security-related ministers, according to Yonhap.

[Ryan Ruck]

That's a pretty big ship that I would find hard to believe would be sinking on accident.

[American Patriot]

You know that bad feeling we've all been having...

Well, I think it is coming to pass. The news is keeping this quiet. Wonder why?

[American Patriot]

S. Korean ship fires at unidentified vessel

Fri Mar 26, 2010 10:52am EDT




Related News

• S.Korean ship sinking, North attack suspected-YTN10:37am EDT
• South Korean navy ship sinking - Yonhap10:12am EDT

SEOUL, March 26 (Reuters) - A South Korean naval ship fired at an unidentified vessel to the north on Friday after a South Korean naval vessel began sinking, the Yonhap news agency reported.
Currencies
Broadcaster SBS said many sailors were feared dead on the stricken ship.
Earlier, South Korea's YTN TV network said the government was investigating whether the sinking was due to a torpedo attack by the North. (Reporting by Cho Mee-young and Jon Herskovitz; Editing by Alex Richardson)

[American Patriot]

Stratfor just sent me this:

View on Mobile Phone | Read the online version.>>

> >

>>

>> You have received this Red Alert as a member of our free list. To access further analysis of the situation, join STRATFOR. >> >> Crisis Event: South Korean Ship Sinking In Yellow Sea>> > > March 26, 2010 >> According to South Korea’s Yonhap News Agency, a 1,500-ton naval vessel with a crew of 104 sank off of the island of Baengnyeong in the Yellow Sea on March 26. Based on size and crew displacement it is likely either an Ulsan-class guided missile frigate or a Po Hang-class corvette. The incident took place between 9 and 10 a.m. local time. The cause is unknown, but the BBC has reported that a torpedo was involved. Seoul has said there was an explosion at the stern, and it is investigating whether a torpedo attack from North Korea was the cause, according to YTN TV. The contested waters between North and South Korea do see the occasional naval clashes, but the loss of a surface combatant on this scale would be extremely significant. >> >> DISTRIBUTION: If you did not receive this report directly from STRATFOR and would like more geopolitical Redalert; security related updates, join our free email list. >> >> >> >> Sponsorship: Sponsors provide financial support in exchange for the display of their brand and links to their site on STRATFOR products. STRATFOR retains full editorial control, giving no sponsor influence over content. If you are interested in sponsoring, click here to find out more. >> Reprinting or republication of this report on websites is authorized by prominently displaying the following sentence at the beginning or end of the report, including the hyperlink to STRATFOR: “This report is republished with the permission of STRATFOR: www.STRATFOR.com." >>

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[American Patriot]

SKorea navy ship sinking in waters near NKorea

By KWANG-TAE KIM Associated Press Writer © 2010 The Associated Press

March 26, 2010, 10:37AM






SEOUL, South Korea — South Korea's military scrambled naval vessels to the western waters near the disputed maritime border with North Korea late Friday after an explosion ripped a hole in the bottom of a military ship, officials and news reports said.


The ship — reported to have 104 crew on board — began sinking off the coast of South Korean-controlled Baengnyeong Island close to North Korea around 10:45 p.m. (1345 GMT, 9:45 a.m. EDT), an official at the Joint Chiefs of Staff said, speaking on condition of anonymity in line with department policy.


He said the exact cause was not immediately clear. South Korea's Yonhap news agency reported an explosion in the rear of the 1,200-ton ship, but the official said he could not confirm the report.


Minutes later, Yonhap reported that another South Korean ship fired shots toward an unidentified target in the direction of North Korea. The Joint Chiefs official said he could not confirm the shooting but said the military was strengthening its vigilance in the area.


The incident comes amid heightened tension between the two Koreas, which remain in a state of war because their three-year conflict ended in a truce, not a peace treaty, in 1953.


President Lee Myung-bak convened an emergency meeting of security-related ministers, Yonhap said, citing presidential spokeswoman Kim Eun-hye.


Six naval ships and two coast guard vessels were rushed to the waters to rescue the crew of 104 on board the sinking ship, Yonhap said. More than 50 had been saved so far, the report said.

[American Patriot]

Looks like the ship has sunk with all hands.....

[American Patriot]

S. Korean Naval Ship Sinks; Presidents Convenes Security Meeting

March 26, 2010, 11:12 AM EDT

By Sangim Han


March 26 (Bloomberg) -- A South Korean naval ship with crew on board was sinking off the island of Baengnyeong in the West Sea, near the border with North Korea, a presidential office official said, declining to be identified.


The South Korean government is investigating, the official said. President Lee Myung Bak has convened a security minister meeting to discuss the incident, the official said, giving no further details.


To contact the reporter on this story: Sangim Han in Seoul at sihan@bloomberg.net
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Michelle E. Frazer at mfrazer@bloomberg.net

[American Patriot]

North Korea Warns of Nuke Attacks on U.S., South
http://www.globalsecuritynewswire.or...00325_8787.php

Friday, March 26, 2010

North Korea warned today that it might launch a nuclear attack on the United States and South Korea in remarks reacting to a newspaper report that the two nations were planning their response to potential turmoil in the Stalinist state, the Associated Press reported (see GSN, March 23).


"Those who seek to bring down the system in the (North) ... will fall victim to the unprecedented nuclear strikes of the invincible army," the North Korean military said in a statement to the official Korean Central News Agency that referenced an article in last week's Dong-a Ilbo newspaper.


Such rhetoric is normal for Pyongyang, AP reported. The Stalinist state is thought to have enough plutonium to produce a minimum of 6 nuclear bombs and carried out its second nuclear test last year. However, North Korea is not believed to have yet developed the ability to mount a nuclear weapon on a long-range missile.


The Dong-a Ilbo reported that experts from China, South Korea and the United States would hold meetings in April in China to exchange intelligence on the North, examine potential scenarios that could occur there and weigh options for collaborating in the event of a crisis. Additional meetings on the matter would be held this summer, the newspaper said.


The leading U.S. military officer on the Korean Peninsula told the U.S. House Appropriations Committee on Wednesday that the potential for a crisis in North Korea is a serious issue.


"The possibility of a sudden leadership change in the North could be destabilizing and unpredictable," Gen. Walter Sharp said (Kwang-Tae Kim, Associated Press/Yahoo!News , March 26).


U.S. Pacific Command head Adm. Robert Willard said yesterday that Beijing has increased its efforts to convince Pyongyang to stop its nuclear work, Agence France-Presse reported. China is the North's top economic benefactor and most powerful ally.


"We're convinced that the Chinese are committed to the denuclearization of North Korea," Willard said to the House Armed Services Committee.


"They have made efforts -- increasing efforts, I think -- over the past year to exert their influence over North Korea," he said.


Willard called on Pyongyang to return to stalled six-party nuclear negotiations, which also involve China, Japan, Russia, South Korea and the United States (Agence France-Presse/Google News, March 25).


Sharp reaffirmed Wednesday that wartime command would be transferred to South Korea in 2012, the Yonhap News Agency reported


Plans for the military transfer of operational command and control of South Korean troops back to Seoul are "on track as planned and we are working hard to ensure that all conditions will be met for a smooth OPCON transition on 17 April, 2012," Sharp said.


His remarks come amid concerns over North Korea's evolving nuclear and missile capabilities. There is worry that the handing over of operational command could result in weakened defenses for South Korea, Yonhap reported.


The United States has 28,500 troops stationed in the South -- a holdover from the 1950-1953 Korean War, which only ended with an armistice agreement.


Sharp rejected the possibility of a gap in U.S-South Korea defenses.


"OPCON transition will not result in independent OPCON nor require independent self-reliant [South Korean] forces," Sharp said. "It also will not lead to a reduction of (U.S.) forces or weaken the U.S. commitment to provide reinforcement to the Korean Peninsula."


Following the transition, Washington would continue to support the national security of the South with "the full range of military capabilities" that include "extended deterrence," the general said.


Conservative South Korean lawmaker Chung Mong-joon has pressed for a postponement in the military transfer, calling it "an irresponsible decision" that he said was being pursued by Seoul "without an objective assessment of security conditions."
South Korean Defense Minister Kim Tae-young has also sharply criticized the schedule for the planned command transfer.


Should Pyongyang before 2012 develop long-range missiles that could carry nuclear weapons, it might be decided to delay the OPCON transition, U.S. security analyst Larry Niksch said in Washington (Hwang Doo-hyong, Yonhap News Agency I, March 25).


According to Sharp, North Korean leader Kim Jong Il has been hard at work laying the groundwork for the eventual transfer of power to his youngest son, Yonhap reported.
"Over the past year, Kim has systematically introduced his third and youngest son, Kim Jong Un, as the heir apparent," Sharp said.


The general's remarks are the first affirmation by a U.S. official on widespread reports that Kim is preparing his youngest son to take over leadership of the communist nation (Hwang Doo-hyong, Yonhap News Agency II, March 25).

[American Patriot]

Updated March 26, 2010
South Korean Navy Reportedly Shoots at Unidentified Ships Near North Korea

FOXNews.com



The South Korean navy reportedly shot at unidentified ships near North Korea and is investigating whether a sinking ship in its navy was hit with a torpedo near the maritime border with the communist North.


Military officials said the 1,200-ton ship Cheonan was patrolling in waters south of the maritime border with North Korea when an explosion occurred at the stern of the ship, which carries a crew of 104 sailors, KBS World Radio reported.


South Korean broadcaster SBS said many of the sailors were feared dead, as the country's president, Lee Myung-Bak, called an emergency meeting of security-related ministers.


Twenty-four sailors have been rescued from the vessel, officials told the Korea Herald, and navy ships and helicopters continue to circle in an attempt to save more crew members, KBS World Radio reported.



There was no word on the cause of the explosion or any casualties, but officials did not rule out the possibility of an attack from North Korea.


South Korea's YTN TV network said the government was investigating whether the explosion was caused by a torpedo attack from the North, and KBS reported news that the another South Korean ship fired at unidentified vessels while patrolling nearby waters.



Reuters and the Associated Press contributed to this report.

[American Patriot]

Reports: South Korean naval vessel attacked

Friday, 26 March 2010 15:09


South Korea's navy has opened fire on an unidentified ship in the Yellow Sea after reports that one of its own ships was attacked.


The South Korean naval vessel with more than 100 aboard is reportedly sinking in waters near North Korea amid reports of a torpedo attack by the North.


Broadcaster SBS said many South Korean sailors on the stricken vessel were feared dead.



South Korea's YTN TV network said the government was investigating whether the sinking was due to a torpedo attack by the North, and Yonhap news agency said the Seoul government had convened an emergency meeting of security-related ministers.
Yonhap also reported a South Korean navy ship firing towards an unidentified vessel to the north.

[Toad]

Damn. This is going to be hard to diplomasize around. Shit just got real in a way S. Korea has to... will want to, respond to in a very significant way.

[American Patriot]

Korean sailors killed in suspected torpedo attack

Fri Mar 26 2010 15:31:42
Several South Korean sailors have been killed after a navy ship was hit in a suspected torpedo attack by North Korea.

The South Korean government is holding an emergency security meeting after one its vessels fired at an unidentified ship towards the north.

Local media said the government was investigating whether the sinking was due to a torpedo attack by the country's communist neighbour

The incident took place near a disputed Yellow Sea maritime border off the west coast of the peninsula that has been the scene of two deadly naval battle between North and South Korea in the past decade.

Reports said at least 59 South Korean sailors survived the attack and an unknown number appeared to have been killed or were missing. A rescue operation is under way.

The latest incident comes as destitute North Korea is facing pressure to end its year-long boycott of international nuclear disarmament talks.

[Malsua]

We should be in there with some subs and sink anything moving. Shoot, sink, shut up.

[American Patriot]

Updated March 26, 2010
South Korean Navy Reportedly Shoots at Unidentified Ships Near North Korea

FOXNews.com



The South Korean navy reportedly shot at unidentified ships near North Korea and is investigating whether a sinking ship in its navy was hit with a torpedo near the maritime border with the communist North.


The South Korean navy has reportedly fired shots at unidentified ships in the direction of North Korea as it investigates whether a sinking vessel in its fleet was struck by a torpedo Friday.


Military officials said the 1,200-ton ship Cheonan was patrolling in waters south of the maritime border with North Korea when an explosion occurred at the stern of the ship, which carries a crew of 104 sailors, KBS World Radio reported.


South Korean broadcaster SBS said many of the sailors were feared dead, as the country's president, Lee Myung-Bak, called an emergency meeting of security-related ministers.


Twenty-four sailors have been rescued from the vessel, officials told the Korea Herald, and navy ships and helicopters continue to circle in an attempt to save more crew members, KBS World Radio reported.



There was no word on the cause of the explosion or any casualties, but officials did not rule out the possibility of an attack from North Korea.


South Korea's YTN TV network said the government was investigating whether the explosion was caused by a torpedo attack from the North, and KBS reported news that the another South Korean ship fired at unidentified vessels while patrolling nearby waters.


Reuters and the Associated Press contributed to this report.

[American Patriot]

Well, I suspect the South Koreans will do something, and it won't be pretty. And it might just escalate quickly too.

This is part one of the "nuclear world" scenario.

Usually it is set in Germany, or Middle East but this works too.

Two antagonists face off, little incidents happen over the course of several hours to several days.

Then all hell breaks loose suddenly and with deadly results for lots and lots of innocent people.

Eventually, every one is pulled into the "nuclear conflict" thing.

[American Patriot]

South Korean navy ship sinking

Last Updated: Friday, March 26, 2010 | 12:20 PM ET CBC News



South Korea's military is sending vessels to waters near its maritime border with North Korea after an explosion ripped a hole in the bottom of a South Korean military ship. The ship — reported to have 104 crew members — began sinking off the coast of South Korean-controlled Baengnyeong Island, close to North Korea, around 10:45 p.m. local time, an official at the Joint Chiefs of Staff office said, speaking on condition of anonymity.



A South Korean woman in Seoul watches a TV screen reporting about a navy ship sinking. (Lee Jin-man/Associated Press)


He said the exact cause was not immediately clear. South Korea's Yonhap news agency reported an explosion in the rear of the ship, but the official said he could not confirm the report.


Minutes later, Yonhap reported that another South Korean ship fired shots toward an unidentified target in the direction of North Korea. The Joint Chiefs official said he could not confirm the shooting but said the military was strengthening its vigilance in the area.


South Korean President Lee Myung-bak convened an emergency meeting of security-related ministers, Yonhap said.


Six naval ships and two coast guard vessels were rushed to the waters to rescue the crew of the sinking ship, Yonhap said. More than 50 had been saved so far, the report said.


The incident comes amid heightened tension between the two Koreas, which remain in a state of war because their three-year conflict ended in a truce, not a peace treaty, in 1953.
North Korea warns of 'nuclear strikes'

Earlier Friday, North Korea's military warned South Korea and the United States on Friday of "unprecedented nuclear strikes" as it expressed anger over a report the two countries plan to prepare for possible instability in the totalitarian country, but there are no clear indications that the ship's sinking is tied to the North Korean threat.


The North routinely issues such warnings. Diplomats in South Korea and the U.S. have repeatedly called on Pyongyang to return to international negotiations aimed at ending its nuclear programs.


"Those who seek to bring down the system in the [North], whether they play a main role or a passive role, will fall victim to the unprecedented nuclear strikes of the invincible army," North Korea's military said in comments carried by the official Korean Central News Agency.


The North, believed have enough weaponized plutonium for at least half a dozen atomic bombs, conducted its second atomic test last year, drawing tighter United Nations sanctions.


The North Korean statement Friday specifically referred to the March 19 newspaper report. A spokeswoman said the South Korean Defence Ministry had no information.
China, Japan, Russia, South Korea and the U.S. have been trying to persuade North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons in six-party talks. The North quit the negotiations last year.


The fate of the North's nuclear weapons has taken on added urgency since late 2008 as concerns over the health of leader Kim Jong-il have intensified.


Kim, who suffered an apparent stroke in 2008, may die within three years, South Korean media have reported. His death is thought to have the potential to trigger instability and a power struggle in the North.


Gen. Walter Sharp, the top U.S. commander in South Korea, said the possibility of turmoil in the North is of real concern, citing the country's economic weakness, malnourishment in both the military and general population, and its nuclear weapons.


"The possibility of a sudden leadership change in the North could be destabilizing and unpredictable," he said in testimony before the House of Representatives' appropriations committee hearing earlier this week.

[vector7]

BREAKING NEWS: North Korea 'torpedos and sinks' South Korean navy ship with 104 sailors on board

By Mail Foreign Service

Last updated at 4:15 PM on 26th March 2010

A South Korean naval ship with 104 on board was sinking today after a suspected torpedo attack by North Korea.

The 1,500-tonne vessel is going down near Baengnyeong island, with rescue crews fearing many sailors have died.

In apparent retaliation, the South Korean navy shot at an unidentified ship in the direction of North Korea.

The incident is viewed as a potential flashpoint which could plunge the two countries into all-out conflict.


South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said that it is not clear what caused the ship to sink. It is believed 59 sailors have been rescued.

South Korea's government has convened an emergency meeting of security ministers, according to state television.
Authorities say the ship began sinking around 10:45 pm local time (1.45pm GMT) in the Yellow Sea.


The dramatic escalation between the two countries comes after North Korea has warned that it was bolstering its defences in response to joint South Korean-U.S. military drills that were held this month.

North Korea had already threatened 'unprecedented nuclear strikes' against its southern neighbour and the U.S over claims they are planning to topple the communist regime.

Flashpoint: The ship is going down off the island of Baengnyeong, in the Yellow Sea

Military chiefs hit out after talks were scheduled between America, South Korea and former ally China over how to deal with an emergency in the North.
They also said claims that a report had been commissioned was evidence of 'desperate moves of the U.S. imperialists and the South Korean puppet warmongers' for regime change.

North Korea’s General Staff said the country’s communist system was a 'impregnable fortress' and described expectations of collapse as 'a pipe dream of a lunatic wishing for the sky to fall'.

'Those who seek to bring down the system, whether they play a main role or a passive role, will fall victim to the unprecedented nuclear strikes of the invincible army,' they said.

Dictator Kim Jong-Il has become increasingly paranoid in recent years and fears that his ill-health could lead to a coup.

The sinking of the South Korean ship came just minutes before President Obama and Russian president Medvedev announced that they had signed an historic deal to slash the nuclear arsenal held by both countries.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-il visits the Daeheungsan Machinery Factory in North Korea today

KOREA, HALF A CENTURY OF CONFLICT

At the end of the Second World War, Korea was a united country under Japanese occupation.

But after Japan's defeat, the island was effectively split with Soviet troops occupying the north and American forces in the south.

The stage was set for a long-running and bitter confrontation between the capitalist west and the communist forces of Russia.

In 1948, leaders in the north proclaimed the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and the Soviets withdrew. Two years later, the south declared independence. North Korea invaded.

The ensuing war lasted three years, leaving left two million dead and laying waste to the country's economy and infrastructure.

Hostilities finally ceased when the two sides agreed to a three-mile buffer zone between the two states.

But despite the ceasefire, sporadic hostilities continued , the two tiny countries fighting a bitter outpost of the Cold War in a remote and neglected corner of the world.

The south - propped up by the Americans - thrived. However, the north has had a far rockier history.

Originally ruled by Kim Il-song, the country's supreme leader is now his son Kim Jong-il.

Whereas his father had abided by the terms of the 1953 ceasefire, his sucessor reneged.

In 1996, against a backdrop of devastating famine, Kim Jong-il announced he was sending troops into the demilitarised zone

In 2002, George W Bush named North Korea as part of an 'axis of evil' alongside other 'rogue' states such as Iraq and Iran.

But Kim Yong-il was not deterred. Instead, Pyongyang made regular announcements on its arsenal and in July 2003 claimed it had enough plutonium to start making nuclear bombs.

In 2006, North Korea test-fired a long-range missile. Relations with the West deteriorated again last year when neighbours accused the country of carrying out another long-range missile test.

Pyongyang, however, claimed the rocket under scrutiny was carrying a communications satellite.

Later last year, the country admitted it had carried out its second underground nuclear test, prompting protest from the US, China and Russia.

And while the nuclear brinkmanship continued, there were regular spats with South Korea over border incursions and hostile intent.