It Was A North Korean Torpedo
Bruce Klingner /
The South Korean government has concluded that a North Korean torpedo caused the March 26th sinking of a South Korean naval ship, killing 46 sailors. South Korea and the US will now advocate a strong response to North Korean complicity in the sinking of the Cheonan but stop short of advocating a military retaliatory attack. Instead, Seoul will curtail – if not sever – economic engagement with the North, review its military posture, and augment naval forces and sensors along the Northern Limit Line. The Lee administration, in conjunction with Washington and Tokyo, will want to take the issue to the UN Security Council to condemn North Korea’s heinous act and impose additional punitive measures.
It is absolutely critical for the Obama administration to fully support our South Korean ally during its time of tragedy and crisis. There must be no daylight between Washington and Seoul nor any perceived differences in the bilateral response to Pyongyang’s blatant act of aggression. Washington should fully support South Korean efforts for a new U.N. Security resolution.