S Korea releases final warship report

South Korea has released a full report — around 300 pages — to reaffirm North Korea’s involvement in the sinking of its warship back in March.

The defense ministry’s report backs a Seoul-led international probe that concluded a North Korean torpedo sank the warship, killing 46 sailors. Pyongyang, however, continues to deny responsibility.

According to the ministry, the report was published in order “to inform Koreans and the international community of the truth, and to resolve unnecessary misunderstanding and suspicions” that led to the tragedy.

Seoul says the report gives detailed and technical explanations which serve as evidence of the deliberate sinking, and would be distributed both home and abroad.

The tragic incident, which took place near the inter-Korea maritime border off the west coast on March 26, was one of the deadliest in decades.

Since then, the South has staged a series of military war games as a show of strength against the North.

North Korea has strongly condemned the exercises, describing them as a “provocation,” and has threatened retaliation for the drills.

But in an apparent easing of tensions, the North has returned a South Korean fishing boat it seized last month, and Seoul has said ‘yes’ to Pyongyang’s demand for flood aid.