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DPRK boat intrudes into ROK waters

(China Daily)
Updated: 2009-06-05 07:49

An ROK Navy warship moves along the sea off Yeonpyeong Island near the western maritime border between the two countries, 11 km from the DPRK, about 115 km northwest of Seoul, June 4, 2009.[Reuters]

SEOUL: A navy patrol boat of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) Thursday crossed into the Republic of Korea (ROK) waters and stayed almost one hour before retreating, further fuelling military tensions after Pyongyang's nuclear test last week.

A Seoul minister said Pyongyang's recent aggressive moves are probably motivated by leader Kim Jong-il's desire to bolster his authority before handing over power to one of his sons.

Related readings:  US seeks China's support in stance against DPRK  DPRK to hold trial of US journalists: KCNA  US seeks China's support in stance against DPRK  DPRK's N-test misfires at home and abroad  China plays down DPRK visit delay  DPRK preparing to launch medium-range missile: YONHAP

Since the May 25 atomic test the DPR has launched six short-range missiles, renounced the truce which ended the 1950-53 Korean War and threatened attacks on the ROK.

ROK and US troops in the peninsula have gone on heightened alert. Seoul has deployed a high-speed patrol boat armed with ship-to-ship missiles near the disputed Yellow Sea border with the DPRK, the scene of bloody clashes in 1999 and 2002.

Financial sanctions

US Deputy Secretary of State James Steinberg is leading a high-level delegation to East Asia to discuss a response to the North's nuclear test, its second since 2006.

Diplomats from the five permanent UN Security Council members plus Japan and the ROK are negotiating in New York about a resolution which could include new financial and other sanctions.

The United States is pushing for tough measures but it is unclear how far China and Russia will go. Moscow's UN envoy Vitaly Churkin said on Wednesday the resolution should not include any "economic embargoes."

Steinberg, in a meeting with ROK President Lee Myung-Bak yesterday, was quoted as saying that China has grown cooler towards its traditional ally since the test.

"North Korea (DPRK) is failing to read changes in China's position," the Seoul presidential office quoted Steinberg as saying at the private meeting.

"It would be a mistake for the North to believe that it can obtain what it wants through negotiations after staging provocative acts... the United States will never repeat the same mistake," he reportedly said.

Lee called for a "strong, unified response" to the test.

AFP

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