"Namjosun Self-Drama"... North Korea's Harsh Remarks on 'Cheonan Ship Sinking'

All Propaganda Media Mobilized... Denying North Korea's Role in the 'Cheonan Ship Sinking'
Yoon: "Numerous North Korean Provocations... Soldiers Protected with Their Blood"

North Korea unleashed a barrage of abusive remarks related to the 'Cheonan sinking' through all its propaganda media. This is interpreted as a backlash against President Yoon Suk-yeol, who attended the recent West Sea Defense Day ceremony and strongly condemned North Korea's provocations, including the Cheonan sinking, in a stern tone.

North Korea's external propaganda outlet Uriminzokkiri disparaged the 8th West Sea Defense Day ceremony held at the National Daejeon Cemetery on the 24th of last month as a "clownish performance" in a commentary titled "The Foolish Scheme Behind the Disgusting Clown Show" on the 4th. The media claimed, "Yoon Suk-yeol was busy praising the puppet soldiers who died a miserable death while endlessly talking about sacrifice and dedication," and argued that "he cunningly calculated that by fostering an anti-Republic confrontation atmosphere, they could alleviate their military inferiority and security anxiety."

North Korea's Kim Jong-un
[Photo by Yonhap News]

Another propaganda outlet, Ryugyong, made an absurd claim that the Cheonan attack was a "special large-scale slander drama forcibly linking the incident to our Republic by the Yoon Suk-yeol regime." Similarly, the propaganda media Tongil-ui Meari (Echo of Unification) spewed abusive remarks, saying, "They pinned the blame for the provocation on us and, using that as an excuse, colluded with foreign forces to further strengthen anti-Republic sanctions and pressure, staging a fabricated drama by sacrificing countless soldiers with their own hands."

The Cheonan sank on March 26, 2010, off Baengnyeongdo in the West Sea due to a torpedo attack by a North Korean submarine, resulting in the deaths of 46 out of 104 crew members. North Korea has denied responsibility and at one point claimed it was an act by the United States aiming for 'Northeast Asian hegemony.' In 2015, North Korea's National Defense Commission Policy Bureau issued a statement proposing a joint investigation between the South and the North.

President Yoon Seok-yeol inspecting North Korean rocket artillery shells during the Yeonpyeong Island shelling [Image source=Yonhap News]

President Yoon, attending the West Sea Defense Day ceremony for the first time since his inauguration, emphasized, "Our Navy and Marine Corps soldiers have defended our territory with their blood against numerous North Korean military provocations, including the Battle of Yeonpyeong, the Battle of Daecheong, the Cheonan attack, and the Yeonpyeong Island shelling." While the previous administration never officially stated that the Cheonan sinking was North Korea's act, the Yoon Suk-yeol administration promised national honors for the fallen and surviving Cheonan soldiers.

At the ceremony, President Yoon honored the heroic deeds by conducting a "roll-call" of the names of 55 warriors who died defending the West Sea, marking the first time a sitting president did so. Unlike in the past, the event was held with the highest honors for the families of the West Sea defenders and the veterans, especially seating representatives of the 55 bereaved families and veterans in prominent seats, and having them accompany President Yoon during the wreath-laying and incense-offering ceremonies.