Serial Number on torpedo propeller matches those used for the North Korean torpedoes - South Korea's Chosun Ilbo reports

Today's front page headline of the Chosun Ilbo (a conservative South Korean daily morning paper) read: Torpedo Serial Number Font Confirmed to be North Korean (어뢰 일련번호, 북한 글자체로 확인).

The report stated, according to a high ranking South Korean official, the joint civilian-military investigation team looking into the sinking of the South Korean naval vessel Cheonan has found "conclusive evidence proving" the North Korean torpedo was what caused the sinking of the Cheonan.

The report stated, the joint investigation team reportedly was able to retrieve a pair of torpedo propellers in relatively good shape last week in the mud near the location where the Cheonan went down. After comparing the serial number imprinted on the retrieved propellers to a known North Korean sample, the investigation team reportedly found the font and the imprinting style used in the serial number of the retrieved propeller to be a match to the North Korean sample.

The South Korean official told the Chosun Ilbo that given the torpedo debris recovered in the area, the presence of traces of RDX explosives on the hull of the Cheonan, and the latest discovery about the serial number, there is now conclusive evidence that the North Korea is behind the sinking of the Cheonan. The South Korean official also said the "foreign experts" agrees with the joint investigation team's analysis.

To read the entire Chosun Ilbo report in Korean, please Korean title provided above. If you would like to read the report in English, please read on for the translated version.

* There were some editorial liberties taken with the translation for style and grammar purposes, but not for content. Please let me know if there are parts of the translation that could be worded differently to better reflect the original Korean text.

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Torpedo Serial Number Font Confirmed to be North Korean

"The joint investigation team has found conclusive evidence (smoking gun) proving the Cheonan was sunk by a North Korean torpedo," a high-ranking official said on 18 May.

The joint investigation team has recently retrieved torpedo propellers (propulsion device) in relatively good shape. After analyzing the imprinted serial number, investigators discovered that the font and imprinting style match with that of a North Korean torpedo. The official said "after analyzing the serial number, foreign experts (of the joint investigation team) also agreed that the torpedo came from North Korea. Together with the finding of torpedo debris and traces of explosives, this is conclusive evidence", he added.

Another government official said "last weekend, a pair (2) of nearly intact torpedo propellers were found embedded in the mud."

"These propellers can be distinguished as such, even by non-experts," he added.

It was reported that the joint investigation team compared the recovered propellers with the North Korean light torpedo propeller that was obtained seven years ago and concluded that both samples share similar quality of material. Of note, a (North Korean) torpedo propulsion device is composed of two propellers rotating in opposite directions.

A computer simulation run by the joint investigation team has temporarily concluded that it is highly possible that a sound-guided torpedo with a 250kg warhead exploded around 3m underneath the gas turbine room of the Cheonan.

Analysis of the traces of explosives retrieved also revealed that they are similar to those recovered from the seven year-old sample.

Military authorities announced they found the diesel engine (of the Cheonan) which apparently fell apart during the explosion and it was transferred to Second Fleet Command in Pyongtaek, (South Korea), for gunpowder analysis. It was also reported that the (Cheonan’s) gas turbine was located and will soon be salvaged for further analysis.

Seoul rebuffs Pyongyang's claim of West Sea provocation

December 17, 2009

The South Korean military Thursday dismissed North Korea's claim that it engaged in provocative military exercises in the West Sea.

Pyongyang claimed in a report of its official Korean Central News Agency that the South Korean army committed an "unpardonable military act" in waters of the West Sea on Dec. 17.

A spokesman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said the training was conducted in "our waters" and not the area near the northern limited line as claimed by North Korea, adding the incident referred to was routine training by an artillery unit stationed in South Korea's Yeonpyeong Island.

North Korea's claim stated that "at about 14:20 that day, they staged an underwater explosion exercise three times close to the waters of the north side southeast of Kuwol Hill, Kangryong County, South Hwanghae Province." And added that "the exercise conducted under the very nose of the north is a threat to it and an unpardonable criminal act against it."

-- Yonhap News Agency

North Korea threatens South Korea over naval drills

December 17, 2009

North Korea threatened retaliation against South Korea over what it claimed were naval drills around their disputed sea border, accusing Seoul on Thursday of attempting to escalate tension.

The North's Korean Central News Agency cited an unidentified source as saying that the South Korean military staged underwater explosive exercises around the border — the scene of a naval clash last month that left one North Korean sailor dead and three others wounded.

The drills represent "a threat and an unpardonable act of crime against us," KCNA said.

"We cannot but view this as a premeditated provocation aimed at raising tension in the militarily sensitive waters," it said. "We will deal a merciless retaliatory blow if the South Korean warlike forces keep staging military provocations" near the border.

A South Korean Defense Ministry official could not immediately confirm whether the military conducted such drills but said he was checking.

North Korea has often made such accusations and the South has rejected them. Pyongyang, known for its use of fiery rhetoric, also regularly threatens South Korea with destruction.

The communist North does not recognize the sea boundary, drawn by the United Nations at the end of the 1950-53 Korean War, and has long claimed that it should be redrawn farther south. The dispute led to deadly skirmishes in 1999, 2002 and last month.

Relations between the two Koreas soured badly after conservative South Korean President Lee Myung-bak took office early last year and halted unconditional aid to the North in line with his pledge to get tough on the communist neighbor over its nuclear weapons development.

The two sides are still technically at war as the Korean War ended in a truce, not a peace treaty.

North and South Korean Naval Vessels Clash off the West Coast

On 10 November, shortly after 11: 30 AM (KST), a North Korean naval vessel and a South Korean naval vessel exchanged gun-fire 1.6 miles south of the disputed Northern Limit Line (NLL) in the West Sea (Yellow Sea).  According to the South Korean media reports, the incident started by the South Korean naval vessel firing warning shots at the North's vessel for crossing the NLL after the North Korean vessel ignored numerous South Korean warnings for it to return north of the NLL.  The North Korean vessel apparently responded to the warning shots by firing aimed shots directly at a South Korean vessel, to which the South Korean Navy responded in kind.

This clash- deemed accidental by South Korea's prime minister, whch lasted roughly a minute and ended when the North's vessel withdrew north of the NLL, was the first time the two navies exchanged gun-fire in seven years.

South Korean Military details the Clash

• A South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff official specified that at 11:27 AM (KST), a North Korean patrol ship crossed the NLL in an area east of the Taech'o'ng Island in the West Sea.  South Korea issued multiple warning communications followed by warning shots. The Northern ship then fired "directly aimed shots" at a South Korean vessel, which returned fire and undertook "evicting" the North's vessel. (KBS-1 TV) 

• Officials added that about 15 of 50 rounds fired by the North landed on the South Korean boat, which retaliated with roughly 200 rounds. The ships were a little over three kilometers apart when they exchanged fire. (Yonhap)

South Korean Government Calls For Calm Response 

• President Lee Myung-bak convened an emergency meeting of security-related ministers after learning of the clash and "instructed the military to react decisively, yet calmly to make sure the situation does not further deteriorate," a senior secretary's statement said. (Yonhap)

• The prime minister said that "it was an accidental clash, so we ask the people to have confidence in our military and government and carry on with their daily lives as usual." (Yonhap) 

• The country will continue exchanges with North Korea as normal, keeping its border open to workers traveling to the North and proceeding with planned humanitarian aid, officials said. (Yonhap)

• "With regard to this incident, there are no restrictive measures, such as minimizing the number of visitors to the North and other artificial control measures, under consideration," a Unification Ministry spokesman said. (Yonhap)

• The Unification Ministry did, however, issue guidelines for those traveling North to exercise special caution and some trips, such as that of UNESCO, were voluntarily canceled or postponed. 

North Korea Reports on Clash, Seeks Apology 

A Korean People's Army Supreme Command communique carried the same day by central radio reported that a patrol boat had been dispatched in routine guard duty to check an unidentified object in North Korean waters and while the ship was returning after having identified the object, a "group" of South Korean ships "chased" the Northern craft and opened fire.

The communique added that the North's ship delivered a "counter-strike," after which the South Korean vessels withdrew.  Foreign media have pointed out that the communique sought an apology for the incident.  It also went on to call for preventing a recurrence.

South Korean Expert Views Divergent

• Yoo Ho-yeol, a North Korea Professor at Korea University said, “It appears to be a move to raise tension ahead of Obama’s visit to South Korea.  North Koreans believe tension helps them strengthen their bargaining power.” (Yonhap)

• Kim Yong-hyun, Professor of Dongguk University said, “I believe North Korea is trying to show Obama the volatility of the peninsula. North Korea has demanded a peace pact be signed with the US to replace the truce agreement (which ended the 1950-53 war)." (Agence France-Presse)

• Ryu Gil-jae, professor at the University of North Korean Studies, disagreed, saying the incident appeared aimed at testing the South Korean government. “North Korea would have test-fired missiles if it had wanted to wex the US.  The Yellow Sea clash is more of a message to the South that it should be taken more seriously.” (Yonhap)

• Kang Sung-yoon, a North Korea specialist at Dongguk University, believes the attack serves more than one purpose. (Yonhap)

South Korea takes steps to protect its shipping

The South Korean Navy announced, unofficially - under condition of anonymity, it will send the ROKS Gang Gamchan, DDH 979 - KDX-II type Chungmugong Yi Sunshin class destroyer, into the Guld of Aden to protect Korean ships navigating through the area from pirate attacks.

The Gang Gamchan is expected to carry two Lynx helicopters members of special UDT (Underwater Demolition Teams) and SEAL (Sea, Air, Land) teams, who will conduct operations against the pirates if the necessity arises.

When the South Korean naval vessel arrives at the Gulf of Aden, it will be joining a flotilla of other naval vessels from countries such as the US, the UK, Russia, India, and France. To my knowledge, the South Korean Navy has deployed to international waters before for various combined exercises with foreign partners, but this deployment will be the first of its kind for South Korea and the South Korean Navy - deployment of a warship into international/foreign territorial waters for an operational mission.

Some facts about the KDX-II type Chungmugong Yi Sunshin class destroyers:

The lead ship of this class, ROKS Chungmugong Yi Sunshin, was launched in May 2002 and commissioned in December 2003. Chungmugong Yi Sunshin class destroyers are a part of the Republic of Korea Navy's shipbuilding program named "KDX-II", which paved the way for becoming a blue-water navy. The design of the hull was licensed from the German IABG company. Currently, there are 6 ships of this class in service.

The ship has a 32-cell strike-length Mk 41 VLS for SM-2 Block IIIA area-air defence missiles, one 21-round RAM inner-layer defence missile launcher, one 30 mm Goalkeeper close-in weapon system, one Mk 45 Mod 4 127 mm gun, eight Harpoon anti-ship missiles and two triple 324 mm anti-submarine torpedo tubes.

Electronics suite includes one Raytheon AN/SPS-49(V)5 2D long-range radar (LRR), one Thales Nederland MW08 3D target indication radar (TIR), two Thales Nederland STIR240 fire-control radars with OT-134A Continuous Wave Illumination (CWI) transmitters, an SLQ-200(V)K SONATA electronic warfare system and a KDCOM-II combat management system which is derived from the Royal Navy Type 23 frigate's SSCS combat management system. BAE Systems WDS Mk 14 originally developed for the US Navy's New Threat Upgrade evaluates threats, prioritizes them, and engages them in order with SM-2.

On the 4th unit, ROKS Wang Geon, the 32-cell Mk 41 VLS is moved to the left and an indigenous VLS for a "Korean VLA" is installed on the right. The ship's forward part is spacious enough to take a 64-cell Mk 41 VLS.

Ships in Service:

Hull no. Name Launched Commissioned
DDH 975 Chungmugong Yi Sunshin 22 May 2002 2 December 2003
DDH 976 Munmu the Great 11 April 2003 30 September 2004
DDH 977 Dae Joyeong 12 November 2003 30 June 2005
DDH 978 Wang Geon 04 May 2005 10 November 2006
DDH 979 Gang Gamchan 16 March 2006 1 October 2007
DDH 981 Choi Young 20 October 2006 4 September 2008

General characteristics:
Displacement: 4,400 tones - 5,520 tons fully loaded
Length: 150 m
Beam: 17 m
Propulsion: CODOG
Speed: 30 knots (56 km/h)
Crew Complement: 300