Korean Warship Latest: Is This A Crisis? (BBC)
Thursday, May 20, 2010 at 16:22 
The BBC updates on the latest politics around blame upon North Korea for the torpedoing of a South Korean warship two months ago:
North Korea is facing international condemnation after investigators blamed it for the sinking of a South Korean warship in March.
Pyongyang rejected the claim as a "fabrication" and threatened war if sanctions were imposed.
The international report found a North Korean submarine's torpedo sank the South Korean navy ship, causing the deaths of 46 sailors.
China urged restraint and did not criticise the North.
The US administration described the sinking as an "act of aggression" that challenged peace.
Britain, Australia and Japan also expressed anger at North Korea. South Korean President Lee Myung-bak pledged to take "stern action".
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said the report was "deeply troubling".
Britain's Foreign Secretary William Hague said North Korea's actions would deepen the international community's mistrust.
"UN resolution"
The investigation team, which included experts from America, Australia, Britain and Sweden, said it had discovered part of the torpedo on the sea floor and it carried lettering that matched a North Korean design.
Pyongyang said it would send its own inspection team to the South, to "verify material evidence" behind the accusation.
A North Korean defence spokesman said the country would "respond to reckless counter-measure with an all-out war of justice", the state KCNA news agency reported.
Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu said Beijing had "noted" the report and would make its own assessment, but called on both sides to exercise restraint.
The Cheonan went down near the disputed inter-Korean maritime border, raising tension between the two nations, which technically remain at war.
The shattered wreck of the 1,200-tonne gunboat was later winched to the surface, in two pieces, for examination.
Investigators examined eyewitness accounts, damage to the vessel, evidence collected from the seabed and the injuries sustained by survivors and those who died.
There had earlier been a number of explanations suggested for the sinking, including an accidental collision with an unexploded sea mine left over from the Korean War.
Mr Lee's presidential office said he had told Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd his government would be taking firm measures against the North, and through international co-operation would make the North admit wrongdoing.
Japan's Prime Minister said in a statement that North Korea's action was "unforgivable".
Yukio Hatoyama said Japan would support South Korea if it sought a UN Security Council resolution against North Korea.
However the BBC's John Sudworth in Seoul says agreeing on an international response will be difficult as the diplomatic options will be limited.
Reader Comments (1)
Sounds like a lot of fuss over nothing to be frank. Even if footage emerged on Youtube of Jong Il loading the torpedo himself I doubt anything would happen. We've been here before. Its the same old power plays and blocks occuring time and again. US condemns the attack/missile test/detonation in addition to or on the behalf of SK, Japan wails, China rebuffs and appeases the North, which somewhat smugly plays the non-chalance card.
This repetitive process aside, I'd be very interested to see an independent verification of this 'compelling evidence', preferably from the likes of the Germans. The idea that a piece of a torpedo carrying a 310kg (or, if it was the older design (Yu-1), a 400kg) warhead being intact enough to verify it was a part of the torpedo in the first place is one thing. Knowing its origin was NK is quite another. As far as I'm aware, unlike the subs which were built under license in the DPRK, the torpedoes made available to this delightful government were made in China.