Editorial - The Sinking of the Cheonan - NYTimes.com

Editorial - The Sinking of the Cheonan - NYTimes.com: "Nearly 60 years ago, the Korean War concluded with an armistice. North Korea’s attack on a South Korean navy ship, which killed 46 sailors, is a reminder of the continued fragility and danger of that less-than-peace.

The two Koreas have more than one million troops on their border and the North has thousands of artillery tubes pointed at Seoul. With an erratic (that’s generous) leader like Kim Jong-il in Pyongyang, the risk of miscalculation is very high. The fact that Mr. Kim also has nuclear weapons makes it all the more frightening.

South Korea deserves credit for its prudent response to the late March sinking of the Cheonan, which was sailing in disputed waters. Instead of lashing back, it assembled an international team of experts to determine the cause. On Thursday, the government produced forensic evidence that a torpedo sank the ship, including part of a torpedo propeller with what the investigative team says is a North Korean serial number. Read More..."