By Jung Sung-ki
Staff Reporter
South Korea will report the results of an ongoing investigation into the sinking of the Navy ship Cheonan to China and Russia and consult with them on the possibility of referring the issue to the U.N. Security Council (UNSC), a government source said Wednesday.
The move comes as investigators point to a North Korean torpedo attack as the likely cause of the deadly incident that claimed the lives of 46 sailors.
A funeral for the fallen seamen will be held at a naval base in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, today, which has been designated a national day of mourning during which flags will be flown at half-mast.
The whole nation will observe a minute of silence at 10 a.m.
Early Wednesday, Chinese Ambassador to Seoul Zhang Xinsen made a courtesy call on Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Yu Myung-hwan at Yu's office in Seoul.
Yu and Zhang discussed matters regarding the planned summit between President Lee Myung-bak and Chinese President Hu Jintao in Shanghai Friday and regional issues, a foreign ministry official said on condition of anonymity. The official declined to elaborate.
The government has expressed its intent to refer the case to the UNSC, but it remains to be seen whether or not China and Russia, close allies of North Korea, will agree on the move.
Both countries are permanent members of the UNSC and thus have veto power. Their positions will likely be crucial to reaching any action by the Security Council on the naval disaster, observers say.
The 1,200-ton frigate Cheonan sank off western waters close to the disputed sea border with North Korea on March 26 after an unexplained blast. Last week, investigators concluded an external "non-contact" explosion ripped the ship in two.
They apparently referred to a massive air bubble caused by an underwater torpedo or mine explosion.
"Unlike the United States, China and Russia are not participating in the Cheonan probe and may have different security interests," the source said on condition of anonymity. "That's why we need to explain to them about the issue in advance."
Even if investigators fail to prove North Korea's involvement 100 percent, the government will discuss referring the issue to the UNSC with China and Russia if evidence of a torpedo is collected, he said.
A 130-strong civilian-military joint investigation team is struggling to collect hard evidence proving an attack but has yet to find any. The team involves experts from the United States, Australia and Sweden.
Photos and three-dimensional images of the ship's wreckage will soon be sent to a U.S. naval lab for analysis, the official said.
The final results of the investigation are expected to be released in a month or two, he said.
They will also be reported to non-permanent UNSC members to seek their support, the official said.
Of the ship's 104 crew members, 40 have been confirmed dead. Six remain missing, but the government and their families have agreed to classify them as killed in action.
中,러와 천안함 문제 논의
한국은 침몰한 천안함에 대해 진행 중인 조사 결과를 중국과 러시아에 보고하고, 이 사안을 안보리에 회부할지에 대해 함께 논의를 할 것이라고 정부 소식통이 28일 전했다.
이러한 움직임은 천안함 진상규명 조사단들이 46명의 희생 장병을 낳은 이 사건에 대해 북한 어뢰 공격 가능성을 지목하면서 나오게 됐다.
희생자들의 장례식은 29일 경기도 평택 해군기지에서 진행되며, 오전 10시에는 1분 간 묵념의 시간을 갖는다.
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