By Choi He-suk
New equipment and tougher training enhances response to underwater threats
On March 26, 2010, North Korea carried out a torpedo attack on the South Korean corvette Cheonan, which sank off the coast of the northwestern island of Baengnyeong, taking with it 46 sailors.
Since then, the South Korean Navy has updated its patrol combat corvettes, increased anti-submarine exercises in the West Sea and made changes to its operations to better prepare for submarine attacks.
Previous to the incident the Navy’s anti-submarine efforts were mostly concentrated in the East Sea, the deeper waters of which provide a more suitable environment for submarine operations. According to Navy officials, the West Sea’s shallow waters limit submarine operation to depths of between 60 and 80 meters.
Despite such restrictions the West Sea presents for submarines, the attack on Cheonan showed that North Korean submarines were capable of operating in the area.
As such, the South Korean Navy has made changes ranging from updating equipment and increasing drills to establishing new posts in the chain of command and changing the pattern of vessel deployment.
Read the full story at The Korea Herald