Military criticized over navy response

Major political parties demanded on Tuesday that Defense Minister Kim Dong-shin and General Lee Nam-shin, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, be sacked over the South Korean Navy's response to a North Korean military attack in the Yellow Sea on Saturday. The ruling Millennium Democratic Party called for holding the military's top brass responsible if an investigation shows them to be at fault in the clash.

Prime Minister Lee Han-dong of the opposition Grand National Party criticized Mr. Kim and General Lee for not attending the funeral for the four sailors killed in the battle. The joint funeral took place at the Armed Forces Capital Hospital in Seongnam, Gyeonggi province, on Monday.

"Their absence at the funeral drags down the morale of the nation's armed forces," the party said in a statement.

The party's secretary-general, Lee Sang-deuk, and chief policy maker, Lee Kang-too, called on the South Korean government to apologize for the absence of the officials.

The Grand National Party also questioned how much influence President Kim Dae-jung's "sunshine policy" had on what the party called the navy's lax policy on engaging North Korean vessels that cross over the Northern Limit Line, the disputed border in the Yellow Sea.

Kim Jong-pil, head of the United Liberal Democrats, said, "Those responsible should be called fully into account. In particular, a rebuke is a long time coming for Lim Dong-won," referring to the presidential special secretary on national security, foreign affairs and North Korea.

The Millennium Democratic Party's senior officials held a meeting during which they affirmed that the sunshine policy as well as civilian exchanges should go on. But the officials also agreed to hold their own inquiry into the incident and call all of those found responsible to account.

"If there is a reason to demand that someone takes responsibility, we will make that demand," said Lee Nak-yon, the party spokesman. "However, it is not desirable to demand that people resign without a thorough and exact inquiry into the entire situation."

by Lee Sang-il