Cheonan Ship Issue ReportⅢ “24 Cases on the Ministry of National Defense’s Turning Over”
The Cheonan Ship Issue ReportⅢ “24 Cases on the Ministry of National Defense’s Turning Over” was published.
Today (21 Oct), the Center for Peace and Disarmament in PSPD (People’s Solidarity of Participatory Democracy) has published the Issue ReportⅢ, 「24 Cases on the Ministry of National Defense’s Turning Over」(35 pages). A purpose and summary of the report is described in the following.
* Purpose
– This report contains how the Joint Investigation Group and the Ministry of National Defense have changed their positions on the important facts determining the cause of Cheonan Ship sinking, and arranges kinds of issues being raised by these problems.
– PSPD pointed out a doubtful investigation result and problematical process of the Joint Investigation Group by publishing the Cheonan Ship Issue Report 1 and 2 in last May. The Ministry of National Defense and the Joint Investigation Group did not give any cogent explanation to the questions raised in the reports. Rather, more suspicions and problems were brought up.
– Activities of a fact-finding special committee dedicated to the Cheonan Ship Incident to uncover the cause of sinking was terminated by a non-cooperative attitude of the ruling Grand National Party(GNP) although there still remained myriad suspicions and problems that needed explanations. Hence, 4 opposite parties asked for a parliamentary investigation to the National Assembly, but the GNP did not accept the request. They explained, “The work of the civilian-military joint investigation group was already a ‘meticulous investigation,’, so no additional investigation or verification is needed.”
– However, the result of the Joint Investigation Group does not seemed to be a ‘meticulous investigation’. The expert groups as well as scientists have been persistently raising issues regarding the results of the Joint Investigation Group, while the Joint Investigation Group and the Ministry of National Defense have changed their positions and tunes repeatedly, increasing suspicions. Moreover, the information reported to the U.N. or the National Assembly was reversed many times. The Joint Investigation Group corrected some parts of the investigation result and report, but there was no explanation for changing their position. As a result, the issues and suspicions on the Joint Investigation Group’s report are growing as time goes by. It is becoming increasingly necessary to determine the truth with respect to the cause of Cheonan Ship sinking. Despite this situation, the Ministry of National Defense and the GNP are simply stating, “Trust us, it’s government’s announcement.”
– It should not be a case that the government changes its report or announcement so frequently because it has a fundamental responsibility to its people. It should be called on to account for reversing the contents which were reported to the National Assembly. However, the government and the Ministry of Nation Defense were very eager to abuse their power, accuse citizens, and seek legal retribution to the public who raised a reasonable inquiry or posted their writing with partially incorrect information without itself taking responsibility for their own distorted information by submitting a report that confused the international community and the nation. The National Assembly and the people should not be punished by legal means, for the government and Ministry of National Defense caused confusion by information censorship and distortion. A parliamentary investigation is needed beyond the parties to find the truth and call the government to account.
I. The Bubble Jet
Changing statement 1. Column of Water
* There is no one who saw a column of water. -> It is not necessary that a column of water is always accompanied by a bubble jet. ->The testimony that a Baekryung-do sentry observed a white flash corresponds with the water column phenomenon.
* The result of a simulation including a column of water will be issued in July. -> Simulating a column of water is impossible.
* An azimuth of the location of the observed white flash is 280 degrees -> 270 degrees
Changing statement 2. Ammo Dumps
* Provided pictures of ’40mm ammo dumps’ and ’76mm ammo dumps’ in an orderly state. -> Reversed the statement to ’40mm ammunition box organized after unloading’ and ’76mm ammunition box organized after unloading’ in the final report on 13 September.
Ⅱ. Yunuh Class Submarine of North Korea
Changing statement 3. Observation of North Korean Submarine
* It was confirmed that two submarines of North Korea had broken away from a base 2~3 days before the sinking of the Cheonan ship and returned.-> A midget submarine was not able to record a video on the day of the accident. -> The breakaway of North Korean submarines could not be verified with materials provided by South Korea, but with additional data from the U.S. and the other countries.
Changing statement 4. Two Sang-O Class Submarines or a Mother Ship & Midget Submarine
* Two submarines of North Korea we could not identify are Sang-O class.->They are a mother ship and a midget submarine.
Changing statement 5. Ability of North Korean Submarine
* The submarines of North Korea do not have an ability to dive underwater for a long time and it is considered that their role in the accident is weakly correlated. -> Yunuh class submarines have been observed since 2005 which are fast and able to fire a torpedo.
Changing statement 6. Width of Yunuh Class Submarine
* The width of Yunuh class submarine is 3.5m -> 2.75m -> 3.2m -> 3.5m
Changing statement 7. English Name of Yunuh Class Submarine
* English name of Yunuh class submarine is Yeono? Yon-O? or YONO?
Changing statement 8. Displacement of Yunuh Class Submarine
* displacement of Yunuh class submarine is in the 130-ton class -> 70~80-ton class -> 130-ton class
Ⅲ. Decisive Evidence
Changing statement 9. Torpedo Drawing
* A drawing of North Korean torpedo corresponds with the collected torpedo. -> Similar torpedo drawing was disclosed by a mistake.
Changing statement 10. A Booklet on North Korean Weapons
* A torpedo drawing corresponds with the drawing in a booklet on North Korean weapons. -> The military has a booklet about North Korean weapons. It cannot be disclosed to the public for security reasons, but we definitely have it. -> There is no booklet but a CD.
Changing statement 11. Corrosion Degree of a Torpedo
* The corrosion degree of the submarine bow is similar to that of the torpedo propulsion device based on an observation with the naked eyes. ->A corrosion degree is being analyzed by an acceleration experiment. -> It is difficult to estimate a corrosion period because a degree of corrosion significantly varies with thickness.
Changing statement 12. Underwater Explosion Experiment by the Joint Investigation Group
* Absorption materials from a body of a ship and torpedo are almost identical and they are also similar to the materials obtained by the underwater explosion experiment. -> The absorption materials obtained from the underwater explosion experiment are different from those from the torpedo used to attack the Cheonan ship in composition and quantity.
Ⅳ. A Screw of the Cheonan Ship
Changing statement 13. Transformation of a Screw Propeller
*Transformation of the Cheonan’s screw propeller was caused by a crash into the bottom of the sea. -> It was caused by inertia created by a sudden stop of Cheonan.
*The same transformation was observed (in a simulation) -> In simulation, it was verified that the transformation could happen (by inertia) but could not reenact the same transformation phenomenon of the Cheonan exactly.
Changing statement 14. Damage of a Screw Propeller
* The Cheonan’s screw propeller was not damaged. -> The Cheonan’s screw propeller was damaged during a salvage.
V. Regarding the Joint Military Investigation Unit
Changing Statement 15. Joint International Investigation Unit
* Joint Military Investigation Unit + Foreign Expert -> Joint International Investigation Unit ? -> Joint Military Investigation Unit + Foreign Expert
Changing Statement 16. Regarding the Agreement of the Neutral Nation, Sweden
* The investigation unit of neutral nations all agreed -> (Sweden) agreed to the only investigated matter.
Changing Statement 17. Regarding Disclosure of Cheonan Ship Report
* Cheonan Ship Report will not be disclosed to the public. -> It will be disclosed via website of the Ministry of National Defense.
* Cheonan Ship Comprehensive Report will be issued in June. -> Will be issued around August 6. -> Will be issued within August. -> Will be issued around mid-September. -> Issued on September 13.
Changing Statement 18. Surviving Soldiers Lived Together for 13 Days
* Survivors of the Cheonan Ship Incident are living and treated in the headquarters of Pyungtaek 2 Fleet. -> Received educational workshops for mental stability and recovery from May 24 to June 5.
VI. Regarding Circumstances Before and After the Sinking
Changing Statement 19. TOD Video
* TOD video can record only after being pressed a button. -> It did not record even after pressing a button. -> There is a auto-taped TOD video.
Changing Statement 20. Installment of a Cheonan Ship Buoy
* Although installed according to the manual, buoys seemed to have been disconnected due to strong currents. Weights were attached to the buoy, but it was cut off and lost. -> After rescuing 58 survivors, an anchor, rope, and two buoys were attached and thrown about 10-20 meters around the Cheonan Ship on 27th at 2:25 A.M.; however, they were not directly attached to the Cheonan Ship.
Changing Statement 21. Reason the Cheonan Ship Moved to an Inland Sea of Baekryeong Island
sailed in the area of the incident of the Cheonan ship about 15 times, but on that day moved to the inland sea to be blocked from the wind ->performed our duties in the approved security area and intened to take geographical advantages during the guard operations to counteract the new types of attack of North Korea -> the high waves caused our movement to the inland sea close to the island; that was a little out of the operating area, but the area line for carrying out operations in the sea could not be drawn clearly as those in land -> performed our duties in the normal guard area as directed by the 2nd fleet, not operating special tasks or being burdened
Changing Statement 22. Possibility of 69 Hours Survival
* Based on the survivors’ testimonies, 21 crew members were trapped inside bedrooms could survive for maximum 69 hours when they breathe together. -> Since the Cheonan Ship is not a submarine, it is not capable of complete waterproof sailing. Therefore, we did not assume that they survived with the waterproof condition.
Changing Statement 23. Time of the Incident
* 21:45 -> 21:30 -> 21:15 -> 21:25 -> 21:22
* According to the result of the Cheonan Ship Investigation, although the Joint Chief had been briefed the time of incident was 9:15, he changed the time as 9:45.
Changing Statement 24. Reason for the sinking of the Cheonan Ship
* ‘The stranded Cheonan Ship’, ‘determined to be a torpedo attack’, ‘hit by something but most likely a torpedo attack’, ‘unknown destruction’, ‘the reason for the incident was not a destruction but an amputation.
translated by Nahae Cindy Moon, volunteer of PSPD
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