천안함 사태와 한국의 안보태세 = The Sinking of the Cheonan Warship and National Security of the Republic of Korea

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

The paper attempts to draw lessons and tasks in the event of the sinking of the Cheonan warship by a torpedo of a North Korean submarine on March 26, 2010, which the international joint investigation team verified the causes of the sinking. The sinking of the Cheonan was perceived by the ROK Armed Forces as the worst disgraceful incident since the Korean War. The ROK forces have to thoroughly analyze the vulnerability of the overall national security system and to make fundamental reform. North Korea clearly violated the United Nations charters, which ensure territorial integrity and political independence, and the Armistice Agreement signed by the United Nations Command and the Communist counterparts including North Korea and China. North Korea also did not follow the North-South Basic Agreement, which prevents the recurrence of war on the peninsula. Due to the violation of North Korea, South Korean government has legality to retaliate against North Korea in terms of economic, diplomatic, and military sanctions. President Lee Myung-bak`s May 24 speech to the Korean people and the joint press interview by Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Unification, and National Defense released sanctions against North Korea. President Lee proclaimed The sinking of the Cheonan was assessed as North Korea`s military provocation, which attacked the Republic of Korea. Suspension of trade, cooperation and investment between the Two Koreas, immediate implementation of the right of self-defence in the event of further intrusion, resumption of psychological operations against North Korea, non-entry of North Korean commercial ships into South Korean maritime territory, reinforcement of Proliferation Security Initiative, submission of the incident to the United Nations Security Council are sanctions. He demanded that North Korea should apologize the incident to the world community as well as the Republic of Korea, and immediately punish the related individuals. In the mean time, Kim Jong-il ordered the Korean People`s Army combat readiness. North Korea also indicated that they will aim the South Korean`s loud speakers and strike them if South Korea resumes psychological operations. In the mean time, the ROK and the U.S. governments will conduct combined anti-submarine exercises, participate in PSI exercises in the region of Northeast Asia and beyond the region, and resume Team Spirit exercise as ROK and U.S combined military sanctions. The South Korean people need to overcome the worst national security crisis since the Korean War by retaliating North Korea in the manner of international cooperation and encouraging the president to effectively implement sanctions. South Korea should reform its national security system by reviving secretary general office of National Security Council, which was eradicated by the current administration. The Crisis Planning Board needs to be recreated at the presidential direct control or be born again under the control of Prime Minister. To prepare for any serious maritime incident like the sinking of the Cheonan is to improve initial action and crisis management systems, and dissemination system. The ROK Armed Forces need to develop crisis management personnel`s professionalism. The South Korean forces should establish integrated maritime rescue operation system among civilians, governmental officials, military men and police men. The ROK government should seriously review the critical issue over whether North Korea is our primary enemy. Some insist that the transition of the war time operational control as planned in 2012 should not be executed due to the revelation of the ROK government and forces` vulnerability of crisis management capability as the South Korean people vividly observed the Cheonan warship incident. However, the reason why the ROK government and forces failed in crisis management is because the ROK did not allow our forces to exercise wartime operational control over their forces. That is why the ROK forces should overcome mannerism by playing a pivotal role in defending their country with authority, will to fight, and warfighting capability against any North Korea`s military provocation. The Cheonan incident shows us that the government`s authority and the existence of the ROK forces could be threatened in case of unsuccessful operations of national crisis. The two main pillars of maintaining a state are economy and security. As government, military and people collectively are ready to fight in order to encounter North Korea`s aggressive provocations with strong resolution, then we will be able to overcome the national crisis and successfully manage peace.