South Korea defense minister calls for North’s ships to be sunk in case of ‘provocations’

South Korean defense minister Shin Won-sik called on his subordinates to be ready to destroy North Korean forces at sea and recalled the sinking of the South Korean Cheonan corvette in 2010, reports the South Korean Ministry of National Defense.

Shin Won-sik on Tuesday inspected the new Cheonan frigate, which was handed over to the South Korean Navy's Second Fleet on December 23.

"The ship Cheonan defended the Yellow Sea again after 13 years. (…) this ship is also at the forefront of our armed forces. If the adversary [i.e. North Korea] goes to provocation again, strangle it without mercy, take revenge for your senior friends," said the defense minister.

Before that, Shin Won-sik visited the memorial dedicated to the 46 sailors of the Cheonan corvette which, according to Seoul, sank in 2010 as a result of a torpedo attack by North Korea in the waters near the northern demarcation line, which South Korea considers the actual maritime border. North Korea, however, denies its involvement in this incident and does not recognize the aforesaid line as a border.