The United States warned North Korea of “consequences” for its “clear act of aggression” after an international investigation blamed Pyongyang for the sinking of a South Korean warship, with the loss of 46 lives, in March.
The news brought worldwide condemnation of Pyongyang — prompting furious denials and threats of “all-out war” against the South if it sought retaliation.
Robert Gates, the US Secretary of Defence, warned that Washington was examining various options put forward by Seoul to punish North Korea. A State Department spokesman told reporters that North Korea “must recognise that provocative actions will not be tolerated”.
Under a mutual defence treaty signed at the end of the Korean War, the US is obliged to defend South Korea against external aggression.
Mr Gates refused to say whether the attack could be considered an act of war, but the White House earlier denounced it as an act of aggression that is “one more instance of North Korea’s unacceptable behaviour and defiance of international law”.
The seven-week investigation, carried out by experts from the United States, Australia, Britain and Sweden, as well as South Korea, found that fragments of a torpedo shell discovered in the wreckage of the Cheonan matched those of a North Korean model, while a serial number on the fragments was found to be of North Korean origin. The report concluded that “there is no other plausible explanation” than that the North planned the attack.
Pyongyang’s fierce rhetoric sent regional tensions spiralling, but there is little likelihood of military action. Instead, countries such as South Korea and Japan were yesterday pushing for new sanctions at the UN Security Council.
The US refused to specify which measures it was considering, but emphasised that Seoul was taking the lead. Mr Gates said that the 28,500 US troops in South Korea were capable of handling any threat that arose but that they had not been placed on high alert.
The crisis erupted as Hillary Clinton, the Secretary of State, headed to the region on a long-planned trip with a trade and economic agenda that has been overtaken by events. Officials acknowledged that, in the short term at least, the crisis had put paid to any hopes of resuming the long-suspended six-party talks on disma tling Pyongyang’s growing nuclear arsenal.
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