Military Issues Northern Limit Line Gag Order

Dong-A Ilbo, October 17, 2007

Amid rising controversy over President Roh Moo-hyun’s remark, “The Northern Limit Line (NLL) in the West Sea is not a territorial line,” top military commanders have ordered naval units responsible for guarding the disputed line to remain silent about the NLL issue.

Shortly after President Roh made the statement last Thursday, senior defense officials instructed the commanders and military personnel of the 2nd Fleet in charge of protecting the West Sea to refrain from commenting on the NLL and related matters, according to military sources on Tuesday.

“Although there has been a considerable controversy over the NLL, it is unprecedented (for top military figures) to give specific guidelines to units under their command. The move is viewed as a desperate countermeasure to prevent the military from being involved in the NLL dispute, which has been sparked by President Roh’s remarks. Top military officials, including Defense Minister Kim Jang-soo and ROK Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Kim Gwan-jin firmly believe that the military must protect the NLL, the de facto maritime border and territorial line. However, as far as I know, they have taken into account that skepticism in the army over President Roh’s statement may put pressure on the commander in chief and can be viewed as insubordination,” said one military official.

However, there are concerns that the gag order given to units that fought the Yeonpyeong Naval Battle in 1999 and the West Sea Battle in 2002 to protect the NLL will negatively affect the morale of soldiers defending the line.

In 2002, a high-speed vessel unit of the 2nd Fleet engaged in a gun battle with a North Korean patrol ship that crossed the NLL and attacked a South Korean high-speed military boat. A total of six South Korean soldiers were killed by the enemy`s indiscriminate attack, including lieutenant commander Yoon Yeong-ha.

“The gag order by top military figures is evidence that this dispute is a very sensitive issue. However, a majority of military personnel believe that the military must stand firm in protecting the NLL, no matter what,” another military source said.

The headquarters of the 2nd Fleet in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, has a memorial stone in honor of the soldiers who lost their lives during the West Sea Battle. Although the 2nd Fleet holds an annual memorial for the deceased soldiers, President Roh has never attended the ceremony during his term.

Comments

[chae s. sone]

Dear Editors:

Special Protection needed for the Korean President-elect Myung Bak Lee and other political leaders from the political enemies.

Greetings in the Christmas season.

I am appreciative your report on the Korean President-elect Myung Bak Lee. Korea should be happy to have a hardworking new president.

According to a news report this morning, the opposition Pakistan Leader Benazir Bhutto is assassinated at a political rally.

In the light of this tragic news, I wish to remind the Editors that your office should warn the South Korean public and the government officers to re-enforce the existing protection plan for the Korean political leaders from the radicals, political enemies, communists or mentally deranged elements in the society in this emotional political season, especially the President-elect Myung Bak Lee down to the National Assembly leaders in action are needed a special protection.

At this emotionally hate filled political season, a heavy responsibilities to keep law and order are on the shoulders of the government officers and the hate mongers. The South Korea should not forget that she still needs to keep the watchful eyes to North Korean communists until they really reveal a sincere political reconciliation and abandon the hostile policy to the South as the North still is on the record as an enemy.

The South Korea needs strong support from the free presses like yours to have a better government under the new leadership in coming days, moths and years.

The South should be a model nation to the free world which created by the help of the member nations of UN after defeating the communist aggression.

She needs the continued advice and support of the free press so that Koreans can have an ideal, clean, good and strong government.

May God bless you all.


Chae S. Sone
Hicksville, New York, USA