A 1200 ton South Korean patrol boat called the Cheonan split and sunk March 26 while it was on a mission in the disputed sea border between North and South Korea. Investigators are pointing to possible North Korea involvement suggesting the Cheonan was with struck by a floating mine or an enemy torpedo. North Korea has denied responsibility, but at least one North Korean defector and an activist in Seoul have provided details of an elite unit of 13 commandos in mini-submarines. The North Korean defector, Jang Jin-sung, who once worked within Pyongyang's spy network, said he is also convinced the Cheonan was hit by a so-called human torpedo.
I picked this article because it reminded me of our reading of Sex Among Allies from two weeks ago. The tensions that existed then between North Korea and South Korea still exist today. Instead of the prostitutes being the actors, the governments and their militaries are the actors in this situation. However, the alleged “suicide bombers” are also the actors because they are the ones being utilized by the government just as the prostitutes were. In addition, there are realist politics at play here. South Korea is contemplating how to respond to North Korea as to express appropriate retaliation, but not to come off too aggressive as to spark a nuclear war.
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