hankyoreh

April 6.

National Intelligence Service (NIS) Director Won Sei-hoon, speaking Tuesday in reference to the sinking of the Patrol Combat Corvette (PCC) Cheonan, said, “A project of this scale could not be carried out by a single unit commander without the approval of National Defense Commission Chairman Kim Jong-il.” Won also said, “In considering North Korea’s internal situation at the time, including the resolution of the successor to Chairman Kim, preparations for his visit to China and the chaos in the wake of the currency reform, it is difficult to believe that he gave approval.” This analysis stands in contrast to Defense Minister Kim Tae-young, who emphasized the possibility that the sinking was the result of a torpedo attack by North Korea.

A number of National Assembly Intelligence Committee members reported that Director Won, who attended the committee’s plenary session Tuesday, gave this reply when asked by ruling and opposition party lawmakers if the sinking of the Cheonan was connected with North Korea or if it could have been carried out by individuals in the military without the authorization of Kim Jong-il.

In response to the possibility that former Chief of the General Staff Kim Kyok-sik, a hardline member of the North Korean military, could have carried out the provocation independently after taking over as head of the Fourth Army Corps, Won replied, “Even if Kim Kyok-sik is a close associate of Kim Jong-il, he would not have been able to make such a decision independently,” another Intelligence Committee member reported.

According to a number of Intelligence Committee lawmakers, main opposition Democratic Party (DP) Lawmaker Song Young-gil also asked Won, “If North Korea carried out this type of action while we were engaged in the Doksuri Exercise, would there not have been close communication between the North Korean navy and military command?” to which Won replied, “According the information that was concretely checked, there was no unusual activity.” Won added, “Our intelligence exchange with the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency also showed no unusual activity.”

Analysts say Won’s statements reflect the view of the NIS that there are no rational grounds for concluding that North Korea was directly involved in the sinking of the Cheonan. Previously, Defense Minister Kim Tae-young emphasized the possibility of a North Korean torpedo attack. During a National Assembly question and answer session on April 2, Kim said in reference to the cause of the sinking that “between a mine and a torpedo, there is a real possibility that it was a torpedo.”

The NIS also said that there was a possibility of Kim Jong-il visiting China “before April 9 or at the end of April,” ruling Grand National Party (GNP) Lawmaker Chung Ok-nim reported.

Meanwhile, the military established plans to include representatives from the families of missing sailors in a joint civilian-military fact-finding committee. At a briefing Tuesday, Defense Ministry spokesman Won Tae-jae said that family members of the missing sailors “asked to participate in the joint fact-finding committee.” Won added, “I believe they will participate through observer status, observing the activities of the committee.”

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