The joint investigation team has reportedly found screw pieces of torpedo, probably causing the sinking of the Navy patrol ship Cheonan, near the border waters in the West Sea where the incident took place in late March.
The Korea Broadcast System (KBS) reported Tuesday that the team has launched close checking of the findings in a non-destructive testing. "The manufacturers of the screw are shortlisted to two countries Russia and China," KBS reported, quoting government officials who were not identified.
The screw, which is a part that creates power to propel the torpedo in the tail, has been regarded as a decisive clue to the cause of the incident as it does not destruct in general even during an explosion.
The government is ready to make it clear that the corvette was sunk by the torpedo and North Korea will be responsible for torpedo attack as the government has already secured pieces of material evidence, including screw part, when it announces investigation results May 20.
천안함 조사단, 어뢰 스크루 일부 발견
천안함 침몰 원인을 조사하고 있는 민·군 합동조사단이 천안함 침몰 해역에서 어뢰 스크루 일부를 발견한 것으로 알려졌다.
17일 KBS는 복수의 정부 관계자 말을 인용, 합동조사단이 비파괴 검사 등을 통해 스크루 조각에 대한 정밀 조사에 착수했으며 이 스크루의 제조 국가는 러시아와 중국으로 압축됐다고 밝혔다.
또 KBS는 어뢰의 스크루는 어뢰의 꼬리에서 추진력을 발생시키는 부분으로 어뢰가 폭발할 때도 보통 소실되지 않기 때문에 천안함 침몰 원인을 규명할 결정적 증거로 지목돼 왔다고 전했다.
이에 합동조사단은 어뢰 스크루 발견 등 객관적인 물증을 확보함에 따라 오는 20일 공개하는 조사결과 발표문에서 천안함 침몰 원인이 어뢰 공격이며 북한의 소행이라고 명시할 방침이라고 이 언론은 전했다.
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