The remarks of Donald Gregg, former U.S. ambassador to Korea, are wrongly understood in Korea and are causing a controversy.
Press Articles Related to the Remarks of Donald Gregg, Former U,S. Ambassador to Korea.
1. MBC Radio 'News Square' Interview(Sep. 3rd)
The Russian investigation team had no access to the direct evidence material from the Cheonan incident, and was not allowed conduct experiments on its own. As such, its investigation was doomed to fail.
Due to these circumstances, the Russian investigation team's results that the Cheonan sank due to a mine instead of a torpedo can only be provisional.
2. TBS eFM 'This Morning' Interview (9. 3)
The Russian investigation team was stonewalled in carrying out its investigation, and the Chinese government was also encouraged not to conduct an investigation regarding the Cheonan issue, therefore the Chinese government did not send an investigation team to Korea.
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The Official Reply from the South Korean Ministry of Defense Regarding the Remarks of Former U.S. Ambassador Donald Gregg
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The comment that "the Korean military interfered with the Russian investigators' inspection", made by Donald Gregg, Former U,S. Ambassador to Korea.
The Russian investigation team conducted an investigation on the South Korean naval vessel 'Cheonan' from last May 31st to June 7th, and at that time colonel Igor Ivanovic, director of the Russian Navy Command's underwater weapons system, visited Korea.
Regarding its main investigation works, the team was first briefed by the Korean civil-military joint investigation team on the investigation results. Afterwards each division of the Russian investigation team confirmed the results and moved to Pyongtaek where the team performed an on-site inspection and 3 joint discussions with the Korean investigation team.
Following the on-site inspection, the Russian investigation team interviewed captain Choi Wonil of the Cheonan and 4 survivors on the 2nd of June. During the investigation period, the team precisely inspected the body of Cheonan and its torpedo propelling device twice, and took a look at the experimental torpedo from North Korea that was acquired off the coast of Pohang in 2003.
At that time, the civil-military joint investigation team handed over 40 types of investigation results, including joint investigation results, underwater explosion simulation results, and the combined intelligence analysis results to the Russian investigation team.
The Russian investigation team's reaction was that the team respects the results of the civil-military investigation team composed of experts from various nations, and the team agreed that the Cheonan sank due to a non-contact outside explosion. Also, the Russian investigation team said that the investigation results handed over to them by the civil-military joint investigation team were valuable material that distinguished experts have analyzed for almost 2 months. A Russian military official also carried a note from the Russian ambassador to Korea, who thanked Korean Ministry of Defense for its sincerity in providing support to the Russian investigation team.
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Ambassador Gregg is a layman in analysing the sinking of a military vessel. Also, his remarks came out when he did not have a clear understanding of the matter, and his remarks greatly tarnished the pride and honor of the South Koreans.
People of South Korea are still aching over the pain of the Cheonan incident.
We hope that no such incidents happen again.
Press Articles Related to the Remarks of Donald Gregg, Former U,S. Ambassador to Korea.
1. MBC Radio 'News Square' Interview(Sep. 3rd)
The Russian investigation team had no access to the direct evidence material from the Cheonan incident, and was not allowed conduct experiments on its own. As such, its investigation was doomed to fail.
Due to these circumstances, the Russian investigation team's results that the Cheonan sank due to a mine instead of a torpedo can only be provisional.
2. TBS eFM 'This Morning' Interview (9. 3)
The Russian investigation team was stonewalled in carrying out its investigation, and the Chinese government was also encouraged not to conduct an investigation regarding the Cheonan issue, therefore the Chinese government did not send an investigation team to Korea.
=======================================================
The Official Reply from the South Korean Ministry of Defense Regarding the Remarks of Former U.S. Ambassador Donald Gregg
=======================================================
The comment that "the Korean military interfered with the Russian investigators' inspection", made by Donald Gregg, Former U,S. Ambassador to Korea.
The Russian investigation team conducted an investigation on the South Korean naval vessel 'Cheonan' from last May 31st to June 7th, and at that time colonel Igor Ivanovic, director of the Russian Navy Command's underwater weapons system, visited Korea.
Regarding its main investigation works, the team was first briefed by the Korean civil-military joint investigation team on the investigation results. Afterwards each division of the Russian investigation team confirmed the results and moved to Pyongtaek where the team performed an on-site inspection and 3 joint discussions with the Korean investigation team.
Following the on-site inspection, the Russian investigation team interviewed captain Choi Wonil of the Cheonan and 4 survivors on the 2nd of June. During the investigation period, the team precisely inspected the body of Cheonan and its torpedo propelling device twice, and took a look at the experimental torpedo from North Korea that was acquired off the coast of Pohang in 2003.
At that time, the civil-military joint investigation team handed over 40 types of investigation results, including joint investigation results, underwater explosion simulation results, and the combined intelligence analysis results to the Russian investigation team.
The Russian investigation team's reaction was that the team respects the results of the civil-military investigation team composed of experts from various nations, and the team agreed that the Cheonan sank due to a non-contact outside explosion. Also, the Russian investigation team said that the investigation results handed over to them by the civil-military joint investigation team were valuable material that distinguished experts have analyzed for almost 2 months. A Russian military official also carried a note from the Russian ambassador to Korea, who thanked Korean Ministry of Defense for its sincerity in providing support to the Russian investigation team.
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Ambassador Gregg is a layman in analysing the sinking of a military vessel. Also, his remarks came out when he did not have a clear understanding of the matter, and his remarks greatly tarnished the pride and honor of the South Koreans.
People of South Korea are still aching over the pain of the Cheonan incident.
We hope that no such incidents happen again.