 Anniv. of Yeonpyeong Naval Battle: Sailors clench their fist in front of the Yoon Yeong-ha patrol boat during a ceremony marking the 10th anniversary of the naval skirmish between South and North Korea, held at the 2nd Fleet headquarters in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, Monday. The ship was named after late Lt. Col. Yoon Young-ha who was among those killed during a 2002 gun battle near the western sea border. / Korea Times |
By Jung Sung-ki
Staff Reporter
The Navy pledged Monday that it would protect the Northern Limit Line (NLL) in the West Sea from a possible North Korean aggression.
Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Jung Ok-keun claimed his sailors would defeat the North on the spot if its navy creates an incident near the NLL, which has served as the de facto inter-Korean sea border since the end of the 1950-53 Korean War.
Jung made the remarks during a ceremony to mark the 10th anniversary of the South Korean Navy's victory in the ``Yeonpyeong naval battle'' with North Koreans near the NLL in 1999.
``Looking back at the two previous battles in the West Sea, we should keep in mind that another round of naval gun battles could occur at any time again,'' the chief of the South Korean Navy said during the ceremony hosted by the Naval Operations Command at the 2nd Fleet headquarters in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province.
``We should maintain firm readiness to win a perfect victory against the North Koreans. If the enemy encroaches on our territory, we will cut them off,'' he said.
In the 1999 skirmish near the Yeongpyeong Island, the South Korean island closest to North Korea, South Korean sailors defeated their Northern counterparts. At that time, at least 30 North Korean sailors were killed and 70 others injured. The North also lost about 10 naval vessels. Five South Korean ships were damaged and nine sailors were injured.
Critics have said South Korea's victory in the Yeonpyeong battle was downplayed during the liberal governments of Kim Dae-jung and Roh Moo-hyun. The two previous governments advocated the Sunshine Policy of engaging the communist North and were reluctant to cause a provocation.
On June 29, 2002, two North Korean boats crossed the NLL again. South Korean ships approached to deter the infiltration, and the North abruptly opened fire in violation of the rules of engagement, provoking the South Navy to return fire.
One of the North Korean ships was heavily damaged and 30 North Koreans are believed to have been killed or wounded. Additionally, six South Koreans, including Lt. Cmdr. Yoon Young-ha, were killed and 18 others injured, while a Chamsoori-class patrol boat sank while being towed back to shore.
gallantjung@koreatimes.co.kr
