South Korea, North Korea: Possible Causes of Ship Sinking

 South Korea, North Korea: Possible Causes of Ship Sinking
March 26, 2010

A South Korean Po Hang class corvette
A South Korean Po Hang class corvette

The cause of the sinking of the South Korean Navy corvette Chon An (771) remains unclear. What has been confirmed thus far is that there was an explosion near the stern of the ship, and that some time either before or shortly after the explosion, a sister ship fired on an unidentified vessel heading north from the area. South Korean officials have not confirmed the cause of the explosion, but South Korean media are reporting several conflicting theories:

  • This ship was struck by a North Korean torpedo.
  • The ship was struck by North Korean coastal artillery or gunfire from a North Korean ship.
  • The ship hit a North Korean mine.
  • The ship was the victim of friendly fire.
 

Korea Map

  The first three theories lead to implications of North Korean involvement. There have been several skirmishes between North and South Korean ships along the Northern Limit Line in recent years, and Pyongyang recently has stepped up rhetoric and action in the area, heightening tensions and increasing the chances of a clash. Pyongyang also has a history of ramping up military tensions ahead of diplomatic talks, and there has been widespread speculation that the North would rejoin the six-party talks before June.

  The South Korean military will be on alert to determine if this is an isolated incident in the Yellow Sea, or connected to a larger military confrontation with the North.