hankyoreh

By Kim Kyu-won, staff reporter

A Nimitz-class aircraft carrier will take part in South Korea-US naval exercises on May 11 to 13.

The aircraft carrier’s participation was originally announced by North Korea. The Ministry of National Defense, Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Combined Forces Command all refused to confirm the dates of the exercises, saying it was important military information, but the schedule is circulating online.

A message posted at 9:48pm on May 4 on “O” Club, a leading photography website, advertised in the title that the sender was “looking for two Busanites who can drive and speak basic English.” The message went on to read, “A US naval aircraft carrier is coming on the 11th and leaving on the 13th, and you would just need to transport the US sailors. Pay is 110,000 won (US$101) a day. Two people wanted. Send a message if you’re interested.”

By May 7, the advertisement was up on several different websites, including the popular Naver Cafe.

The information matches the claims of a spokesperson for the policy bureau of North Korea’s National Defense Commission, who was quoted responding to a Korean Central News Agency reporter at 3:15pm on May 6.

“Some time around May 10, a Nimitz-class aircraft carrier strike group carrying nuclear weapons will be entering Busan Harbor on the pretext of taking part in new combined naval exercises,” the spokesperson was quoted as saying.

At the time, the Ministry of National Defense and Joint Chiefs of Staff claimed not to know anything, saying it was “US military information.” The Combined Forces Command refused to confirm or deny the reports, saying it “does not usually disclose vessels’ operation and port visits ahead of time.”

But the advertisement was up on several South Korean websites and online cafes 18 hours before the North Korean report. Analysts said the policy bureau may have seen it when they made the claims about the aircraft carrier visit and its schedule.

A source with the Ministry of National Defense tried to explain the situation. “Typically, when the US navy comes to South Korea, we prepare the support terms one to three weeks in advance,” the source said. “It looks like some information got leaked in the process of the USFK requesting workers from a manpower agency.”

Another source with the Combined Forces Command agreed that the details should never have been released, but added, “We still can’t officially confirm if or when the visit will be taking place.”

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