1998 Sokcho submarine incident

Part of Korean Conflict
Date22 June 1998
Locationoffshore of Sokcho, Gangwon-do
Result South Korean victory
Belligerents
South Korea Republic of Korea North Korea Democratic People's Republic of Korea
Strength
1 submarine
9 personnel
Casualties and losses
none 1 submarine captured
9 dead

The 1998 Sokcho submarine incident occurred on 22 June 1998, offshore of the South Korean city of Sokcho.

Capture

On 22 June, a North Korean Yugo-class submarine became entangled in a fishing driftnet in South Korean waters approximately 18 km east of the port of Sokcho and 33km south of the inter-Korean border. A South Korean fishing boat observed several submarine crewmen trying to untangle the submarine from the fishing net. The fishing boat notified the Republic of Korea Navy and a corvette towed the submarine with the crew still inside to a navy base at the port of Donghae.[1] The submarine sank as it was being towed into port, it was unclear if this was as a result of damage or a deliberate scuttling by the crew.[2]

On 23 June the Korean Central News Agency admitted that a submarine had been lost in a training accident.[3]

On 25 June the submarine was salvaged from a depth of approximately 100 feet (30 m) and the bodies of 9 crewmen were recovered, 5 sailors had apparently been murdered while 4 agents had apparently committed suicide.[4] The presence of South Korean drinks suggested that the crew had completed an espionage mission.[5] Log books found in the submarine showed that it had infiltrated South Korean waters on a number of previous occasions.[6]

The bodies of the members of submarine crew were subsequently buried in the Cemetery for North Korean and Chinese Soldiers.[7]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "North Korea Sub is snagged off South". New York Times. 23 June 1998. Retrieved 16 September 2013.
  2. ↑ "Sub incident harms Korean relations". BBC News. 22 June 1998. Retrieved 16 September 2013.
  3. ↑ "N. Korea admits submarine wrecked while training". Kyodo News via The Free Library. 23 June 1998. Retrieved 16 September 2013.
  4. ↑ "9 North Koreans dead in submarine". New York Times. 27 June 1998. Retrieved 16 September 2013.
  5. ↑ "`Suicide' crew found in North Korean sub". The Independent. 26 June 1998. Retrieved 16 September 2013.
  6. ↑ "N.Korean Subs Ply East Sea with Impunity". The Chosun Ilbo. 27 May 2010. Retrieved 16 September 2013.
  7. ↑ "South Korean cemetery keeps Cold War alive". Reuters. 10 September 2008. Retrieved 21 September 2014.

External links