hankyoreh

Government discussions about establishing the response plan to North Korea have entered full swing following a joint civilian-military fact-finding team’s announcement of the results of its investigation into the cause of the Cheonan’s sinking. This along with North Korea’s decision to step up its offensive against South Korea in response has ushered in an even greater rise in tensions on the Korean Peninsula. This is a situation that calls for focusing on a realistic and effective approach that obtains appropriate results without making the political situation unnecessarily unstable.

The first aspect of this situation warranting mention is that the investigation in the cause of the sinking is not over. The team said that the Cheonan “sank due to a torpedo launched by a North Korean Yono Class submersible,” but this is not sufficient to be a final conclusion that everyone can accept. If idle speculation down the road is to be avoided, the government must present evidence that not even North Korea, the party pointed to as the culprit, can deny. This is why a more thorough investigation is needed in the days ahead. In particular, confidence in the findings can only grow if a broad-ranging investigation is carried out over sufficient time, without concern for a political schedule such as the June 2 regional elections.


The discussion of ultra-hardline measures against North Korea is not a diplomatic strategy to be desired. If it becomes certain that the Cheonan sank due to a North Korean attack, then the fundamental goal of any response strategy must be getting North Korea to admit its responsibility. Should other nations, including China, agree that North Korea is at fault, the country will have no choice but to change its attitude.

However, depending solely upon military, diplomatic and economic pressure will only make the situation worse and heighten conflict. Under such circumstances, it is impossible to count on a united stand from the international community against North Korea. In this sense, it was inappropriate for the South Korean government to reject North Korea’s proposal yesterday to send its own review team. North Korea will certainly attempt to exploit this for propaganda.


It was also wrong for North Korean authorities to continue making hardline statements. Given that a torpedo fragment that appears to have been made in North Korea was found in the waters where the Cheonan went down, North Korea now seems to find itself in the position of the accused. In such a situation, it should be acting in a manner that is comprehensible by the international community, including collaborating on the search for the sinking’s cause with its own investigation. If it opts instead for threatening talk “regarding the current situation as a state of war,” as it is doing now, its already longstanding international isolation will only deepen.

The South Korean government may be anticipating that the people of South Korea and the international community as a whole will accept a North Korean attack on the Cheonan as a fact and take part in applying pressure on North Korea. This, however, is not the reality. There are clearly true facts, but the process of proving them and following them up with action is bound to be fraught with difficulties. Such a moment requires a close and dispassionate look in every direction.

Please direct questions or comments to [englishhani@hani.co.kr]