Oh, and There May Be War on the Korean Peninsula
An international investigation into the sinking of a South Korean Naval vessel has determined that a North Korean torpedo most likely caused the the ‘Cheonan’ to go down. Forty-six South Korean sailors died. A White House statement last night condemned the sinking of the Cheonan as an “act of aggression.” Deep breath:
“„This act of aggression is one more instance of North Korea’s unacceptable behavior and defiance of international law. This attack constitutes a challenge to international peace and security and is a violation of the Armistice Agreement.
South Korea’s president, Lee Myung-bak, warned of “resolute countermeasures” against the North. This is the North Korean response, according to The Washington Post:
“„North Korea immediately denounced the investigation as a “sheer fabrication” and accused the South of “pointing a dirty finger at us like a thief.” It added that if there is any retaliation or punishment of the North, it will respond with “various forms of tough measures including all-out war.”
Which probably counts as a restrained response from Pyongyang. A battery of senior administration officials will be in Beijing this weekend for wide-ranging talks, which will now include the prospect of referring the dispute to the United Nations Security Council.
