By Jung Sung-ki
Staff reporter
The Ministry of National Defense and the Navy plans to award 84 officials and soldiers for their roles in dealing with the sinking of the Cheonan in March.
Critics, however, say such a move is premature since the inspection by state auditors of the ship sinking has not been completed. The Board of Audit and Inspection (BAI) announced interim results of its probe into the naval disaster June 10, recommending 25 military officers and senior officials of the defense ministry face punitive measures for their negligence in handling the incident.
Ministry and Navy officials argue the award is necessary to boost morale among the troops.
Those who would be awarded include 20 officials selected by the government and 64 others by the military, a defense ministry official said. By rank, 56 officers and 28 non-commissioned officers would be awarded, he said.
“Many members of the Underwater Demolition Team (UDT) and Ship Salvaging Unit (SSU) are included in the list,” the official said.
After the ship was sunk by an alleged North Korean torpedo attack in western waters off the sea border with the North, hundreds of UDT and SSU members conducted desperate search and rescue operations for the missing sailors.
UDT Warrant Officer Han Joo-ho died during a mission to reach the wreckage. He was posthumously awarded the Gwangbok Medal, 5th class Order of National Security Merit.