South Korean Warship Sunk Near Border with North Korea

Govt Denies Rumors of Torpedo Attack

South Korean officials say an investigation is under way and rescue operations went on into the night after a South Korean warship was sunk in the Yellow Sea along the maritime border with North Korea.

The ship sank as a result of an unidentified hole in the hull, and some of those rescued have reported a loud “firing noise” before the sinking, leading to speculation about a torpedo attack by Northern ships. The sinking ship reportedly fired in the direction of the North Korean border.

But officials are seeking to downplay any Northern link to the attack, as South Korea’s Defense Ministry said that the sinking ship fired at an “unidentified object” which could well have just been a flock of birds.

They furthermore said they while they still had no idea what caused the hole, they were confident that it was not an attack by North Korea. The two nations have disputed their maritime border for decades.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.