Govt commission says SKorean corvette destroyed by NKorean torpedo.

17/5 Tass 93

TOKYO, May 17 (Itar-Tass) - The government commission looking into the
sinking of the South Korean corvette Cheonan came to the conclusion that
the warship had been destroyed by a North Korean torpedo, Seoul media
outlets report on Monday.
The commission involves military and civilian experts. It is expected
that the results of its work will be officially announced on May 20.
China, Russia, the USA and Japan, which are South Korea's partners at
six-way talks on North Korea's nuclear problem, will be informed on the
results one day before the official announcement.
South Korea also considers bringing up the issue of additional
sanctions against Pyongyang in connection with the sinking of the warship
at the U.N. Security Council. Seoul banks on support of China, Russia, the
USA and Japan in the issue.
The Cheonan corvette having the displacement of 1,200 tons exploded
and sunk near the North Korean zone of maritime control in the Yellow Sea
on March 26. Forty-six seamen on board died. Earlier, the state commission
announced that the ship had split into two and sank as a result of a
powerful non-contact explosion under its bottom.
Traces of hexogen, as well as aluminium that is not used in ship's
metal were found in corvette wreck. This invites the conclusion that it
was destroyed by a torpedo. The Chosun Ilbo newspaper reports on Monday
that Seoul has no direct evidence that it was a North Korean torpedo.
The investigative team apparently concluded that traces of explosives
and aluminium debris found in the funnel and split section of the Cheonan
are highly likely the same type used by former Eastern-bloc countries as
well as North Korea in manufacturing torpedoes, the Chosun Ilbo said.
Meanwhile, South Korea stops the state funding of contacts with North
Korea against the background of growing tensions following the sinking of
the corvette.
A spokesman for the South Korean Ministry for Unification reported in
Seoul on Monday that ten other government agencies of the country had
received an order to halt the funding of contacts with North Korea.
The Yonhap news agency reported on Monday that last week the ministry
had also urged about 200 private companies of the country to refrain from
signing new contracts on any supplies to North Korea.
Relations between the two countries have sharply aggravated in
connection with the sinking of the corvette.
-0-zhe/ast