South Korea blasts North over Cheonan sinking

Yoon Duk-yong, co-head of the investigation into the Cheonan's sinking, announced on live television what almost everyone here had been expecting: The ship was struck by a torpedo, fired by a North Korean submarine. There is no other possible explanation, he said.

The report says torpedo parts, including propellers, were found at the site of the sinking. The pieces match another North Korean torpedo seized several years ago. The investigation also reveals that Northern submarines left port in the days prior to the attack and returned a few days after it.

The West stands behind South Korea

Pyongyang immediately issued a statement through its official media denying its involvement. It called the South Korean president a traitor and threatened war.

The United States and other western nations have voiced their support for South Korea's pledge to take the matter to the United Nations Security Council. But with China holding permanent, veto-wielding power, analysts aren't confident that any new resolutions can be passed.

Daniel Pinkston is senior analyst at the International Crisis Group in Seoul. He believes China will try to calm things down and "not do anything to exacerbate the situation and inflame emotions on any side including on North Korea." He adds, "So as far as any harsh or punitive measures are concerned, I don't think China will support that.”

Pinkston thinks that the US will at least support South Korea's refusal to resume talks over North Korea's nuclear weapons program for the foreseeable future.

Conspiracy theories

While President Lee Myung Bak has the backing of his allies overseas, many young Koreans say the facts of the Cheonan investigation are being politically manipulated. And conspiracy theories are posted all over internet message boards.

But at least some of the passengers at Seoul's main train station, who have been watching coverage of the probe's results, say they stand behind their president. For example 76-year-old Lee Kyu Nam, who says he has no doubt North Korea is responsible for the Cheonan disaster. "Relations between North and South are just getting worse," he says. "We should stop all inter-Korean projects with them."

25-year-old Cha Gahyun holds out hope relations will get better. "It's not a good idea to cut them off even more, it'll just make the situation much worse," she says.

For now, President Lee is reaching out to the international community to put pressure on North Korea. Next week, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will arrive in Seoul as a gesture of solidarity with South Korea. Lee says he will take what he calls 'resolute countermeasures' along with Washington to force North Korea to admit to the attack.

Author: Jason Strother
Editor: Grahame Lucas