UN Security Council Blasts Cheonan Sinking

The U.N. Security Council agreed Thursday on a draft presidential statement denouncing the March 26 sinking of the South Korean naval vessel Cheonan, but did not specifically mention North Korea as the culprit.

The agreement came 35 days after the incident was referred to the council June 4.

The council held a plenary session the same day and read the draft statement agreed by its five permanent member countries along with South Korea and Japan. The 15 council member nations will report the statement to their respective governments and officially adopt the statement at a plenary session Friday morning local time.

The one-page draft statement with 11 articles said the Cheonan was attacked, condemned the culprit, and emphasized the importance of preventing a recurrence of similar attacks on and hostile acts against South Korea.

Reflecting the joint civil-military investigation results that showed North Korea’s accountability for the sinking, the council expressed “deep concern” and decided to condemn the attack that led to the incident.

In the statement, the Security Council also urged appropriate and peaceful measures to hold the party responsible for the sinking accountable and stressed the importance of preventing such an attack on and hostile acts against South Korea or in the region.

The statement, however, also said the council took note of North Korea’s denial of involvement and the responses of other countries.

Separately, a government official in Seoul said, “The presidential statement of the U.N. Security Council clearly shows that the council substantially condemns North Korea by denouncing the attack on the Cheonan. It reflected the joint civil-military investigation results that clearly state the North’s accountability.”

“The U.N. Security Council’s denunciation of the attack and demand for the prevention of additional provocations send a strong message to North Korea. So it will have the effect of preventing a recurrence.”

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