N Korea warns Seoul about ill effects of campaign against it.

24/5 Tass 93

PYONGYANG, May 24 (Itar-Tass) - The noisy propagandist campaign
against North Korea "initiated by Seoul in connection with the wreck of a
South Korean ship has become another manifestation of a military
provocation with the aim of bringing the North-South relations to a
critical point and jointly with outside forces making an aggression
against DPRK (Democratic People's Republic of Korea - the North's official
name)," it is said in an article published by the leading party newspaper
Rodong Sinmun here on Monday.
It stresses that the "group of traitors" in South Korea from the very
start linked this incident with DPRK without giving any substantiated
evidence." Moreover, the Rodong Sinmun noted, for the strengthening of
confrontation with the North this group "has started to talk about
decisive countermeasures and readiness to freeze the inter-Korean
relations, as well as call on the international community to toughen
sanctions against DPRK."
The newspaper believes that the South Korean authorities fabricated
the evidence of DPRK involvement in the sinking of the warship and decided
to step up confrontation with the people's republic in order to distract
the attention of the public from failures in its external and internal
policy.
"The South Korean regime should think about the detrimental
consequences of the dirty propagandist campaign started by it," the Rodong
Sinmun warned.
According to the North's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA),
the South Korean puppet authorities finally issued the "results of
investigation" in which they groundlessly linked the case of the sinking
of a warship with the DPRK despite the accusations and protest at home and
abroad. This is an intolerable provocation against the DPRK and an
undisguised declaration of a war against it. Rodong Sinmun Sunday says
this in a signed commentary, the agency reported.
The commentary goes on: It is also an intentional and premeditated
plot to push the inter-Korean relations to total collapse and ignite a war
of aggression against the DPRK in collusion with their US and Japanese
masters under the pretext of the ship case.
The ship case was an unprecedented charade crafted by the group of
traitors keen on escalating confrontation.
The "investigation into the case" was nothing but a red herring as it
was aimed to zealously spread a rumour about the "north's involvement in
the case" and thus fan up atmosphere for extreme animosity toward fellow
countrymen and confrontation with them among south Koreans of different
circles and, at the same time, openly unleash a war of aggression against
the DPRK in collusion with foreign forces under the pretext of what it
called "security crisis."
A saying goes a club is fit for a mad dog. The army and people of the
DPRK will never pardon the group of traitors getting hell-bent on
confrontation and war, dare taking issue with fellow countrymen, KCNA
quoted the newspaper.
We do not know empty talk. The reckless racket of the puppet forces
will lead to a dirge of the traitorous clique, the newspaper said in its
commentary.
On 26 March 2010, an explosion occurred near the rear of the South
Korean Cheonan ship causing it to break in two. The cause of this
explosion was not immediately determined, although experts said that an
external explosion was likely, as the structure of the ship was bent
upwards, rather than evenly splitting as would have happened if metal
fatigue had been the cause, and that an internal explosion was unlikely,
as explosives on board the ship were undamaged.
The 1,200 tonne ship started sinking at 21:20 local time (12:20 UTC)
about 1 nautical mile (1.9 km) off the south-west coast of Baengnyeong
Island in the Yellow Sea. The island is located on the South Korean (ROK)
side of the Northern Limit Line, the de facto boundary dividing South from
North Korea (DPRK). The ship had a crew of 104 men at the time of sinking,
and a total of 58 crew were rescued. Another 46 crew were unaccounted for.
Cheonan's Captain, Commander Choi Won-il, said that the ship broke into
two and the stern sank within five minutes after the explosion and while
he was still assessing the situation. On 17 April 2010, North Korea denied
any involvement in the sinking of Cheonan.
Initially six South Korean Navy and two South Korean Coastguard ships
assisted in the rescue as well as aircraft from the Republic of Korea Air
Force. It was reported on March 27 that hopes of finding the 46 missing
crew alive were fading. Survival time in the water was estimated at about
two hours and large waves were hampering rescue attempts. The ship sank in
45 metre deep waters with a small portion of the overturned hull still
visible above water. It was expected that it would take up to 20 days to
salvage the ship.
During the course of the search and rescue effort over 24 military
vessels were involved, including at least three US Navy vessels, the USNS
Salvor, the USS Harpers Ferry, and the USS Shiloh.
On 30 March 2010 it was reported that one South Korean naval diver had
died after losing consciousness whilst searching for survivors and another
had been hospitalised.
On 3 April 2010, South Korean officials said that a private fishing
boat involved in the rescue operations had collided with a Cambodian
freighter, sinking the fishing boat and killing at least two people, with
seven reported missing. The same day, the Joint Chiefs of Staff of South
Korea said that one body of the 46 missing sailors had been found.
Later on 3 April 2010 South Korea called off the rescue operation for
the missing sailors, after families of the sailors asked for the operation
to be suspended for fear of further casualties among the rescue divers.
The military's focus then shifted towards salvage operations, which were
predicted to take up to a month to complete.
-0-ezh/gor