Text Fwd: ROK-US joint naval exercise postponed

Korea Times
ROK-US joint naval exercise postponed
June 4, 2010

Some excerpts:

'A planned naval exercise between the U.S. and South Korea in the West Sea next week will be delayed, a spokesman for Seoul's Ministry of National Defense said Friday, apparently fearful of the growing tension on the Korean Peninsula.'

'South Korea and the United States are seeking support from the international community before taking the March 26 ship sinking incident to the U.N. Security Council (UNSC) for tougher sanctions against the North. But China, a veto-wielding member of the UNSC, has been reluctant to blame Pyongyang, its Cold War ally, for the attack'

'The government said a U.S. nuclear-powered aircraft carrier and advanced U.S. warships will participate in the drill.'

'U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates denied any involvement of a U.S. aircraft carrier in a drill around the Korean Peninsula. Gates is in Singapore to attend an annual Asian security summit, where South Korean Defense Minister Kim Tae-young and scores of defense ministers, policymakers and military experts from 28 countries are attending.'

'However, Gates said Washington and Seoul are still consulting scenarios, including stepped-up anti-submarine exercises to deter a North Korean attack, apparently referring to the North's alleged torpedo attack on South Korea's Cheonan frigate in March. Forty-six sailors were killed in the ship sinking.'