3rd anniversary of Cheonan sinking

North Korea escalated the sense of crisis on the Korean Peninsula on Tuesday, the third anniversary of Pyongyang`s sinking of the South Korean naval corvette Cheonan. The North`s chief military headquarters issued its highest combat posture for strategic rocket troops and artillery and claimed that it aims to attack the U.S., U.S. military bases in the Pacific and South Korea. The alert is far more aggressive than the combat prepared readiness posture that Pyongyang announced Jan. 30 in the run-up to its third nuclear test. The Stalinist country`s landing and de-landing drills seem extraordinary in being held in the presence of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Monday. He is personally driving his country toward a state of war.

Pyongyang seems angry at others for its own mistakes, yet the latest crisis on the peninsula was triggered by North Korea’s long-range missile launches and third nuclear test. The original cause of strained inter-Korean relations was the sinking of the Cheonan and the bombing of Yeonpyeong Island three years ago. Had Pyongyang not broken the peace, the U.N. Security Council would not have sanctioned the Stalinist country and South Korea and the U.S. would not have strengthened their military preparedness.

South Korean President Park Geun-hye on Tuesday pledged to safeguard her country in honoring the 46 fallen Cheonan seamen on the third anniversary of the sinking. Defense Minister Kim Kwan-jin ordered thorough preparedness for all troops, saying, “Only strong preparedness and sure punishment can deter enemy provocations." President Park and Minister Kim should consider that Pyongyang has issued its highest combat posture and properly lead Seoul`s forces to prevent another ambush.

The sinking of the Cheonan was caused by lack of vigilance on the part of the South Korean military. Seoul detected unusual movement by North Korean submarines but put down its guard because it thought submarines could attack in the shallow Yellow Sea. The subs approached waters 2,500 meters from Baengnyeong Island of the South and attacked the corvette. The South Korean military is plagued with many loopholes. The old sonar equipped on the Cheonan did not detect the enemy’s approach and torpedo attack because of a limited band of frequency. The South Korean military has not honored its pledge to replace the old sonar model in some 30 vessels in patrol frigates equivalent to the Cheonan and convoys. It also postponed installing underwater array sensors that can detect enemy submarines south of the Northern Limited Line in the Yellow Sea to the second half of this year. If it cannot fix the loopholes, the South Korean people will feel anxious. So Seoul must immediately prepare for a provocation even if it has to adjust budget spending priority.

North Korea’s attack may not be confined to South Korean sea vessels and Yeonpyeong Island. The South should be prepared for an attack at sea, land or air. The North`s threat could be likened to a psychological war aiming at the disintegration of South Korea. In Seoul, the minor opposition United Progressive Party said its chairman and floor leader were unable to attend the third anniversary of the sinking due to their appointments, avoiding the expression‍ “sinking of the Cheonan.” The entities that raised suspicions over the sinking never bothered to inspect the vessel. North Korea might be running amok because of these people.