[Yang Nak-gyu's Defence Club] South Korea and China Salvage North Korean Projectile at 500m Distance... Collision Risk

Search operation for 3-4 trap ships... Possibility of recovering projectile and returning it to North Korea

South Korea and China have entered a fierce competition to salvage North Korea's space launch vehicle, which failed to launch on the 31st of last month, with naval vessels from both countries engaging in a salvage battle at a close distance of about 500 meters, creating a tense standoff.

On the 12th, a military official told Asia Economy in a phone interview, "Our naval vessels are conducting salvage operations in the West Sea, while 3 to 4 Chinese vessels are conducting search operations in waters less than 500 meters away."

The location where our vessels are conducting salvage operations is in the West Sea, about 200 km from Eocheongdo, Gunsan, Jeonbuk Province. The 3,500-ton class surface rescue ships Tongyeong (ATS-II) and Gwangyang (ATS-II), as well as the 3,200-ton class submarine rescue ship Cheonghaejin (ASR), have been deployed.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

According to NK News, a U.S.-based North Korea specialist media outlet, the Chinese research vessel Xiangyanghong 18 began moving on the 5th to the location presumed to be where our military is conducting salvage operations after patrolling along the Chinese coast. Another vessel was spotted on the 8th moving to a location presumed to be another search area, and two Chinese Coast Guard vessels are also reported to be patrolling near the North Korean launch vehicle crash site.

North Korean Launch Vehicle Search Area, Jointly Managed Waters by South Korea and China

The reason Chinese vessels are searching for the North Korean launch vehicle is that the area is a "South Korea-China Provisional Measure Zone." The West Sea Provisional Measure Zone was established under the South Korea-China Fisheries Agreement, which came into effect in June 2001, due to differing opinions on the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) boundaries, leaving maritime boundaries undecided. Since 2014, both countries have conducted joint patrols annually and are allowed to conduct individual search activities.

Therefore, if Chinese vessels salvage the North Korean launch vehicle first, they will gain ownership under international law. According to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), debris found in international waters can be claimed by the party that salvages it first.

The debris our military is attempting to salvage is the rocket's "second-stage propulsion unit." Such debris from North Korea's launch vehicle is considered a key clue to uncovering the reality of the Hwasong-15 and Hwasong-17 intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs).

Inclusion of Chinese-made Components?

Chinese vessels are reportedly focusing on finding the reconnaissance satellite mounted on the third stage, in addition to the second stage. There is speculation that China's involvement in this salvage competition is due to the possibility that Chinese-made components are included in North Korea's reconnaissance satellite and launch vehicle. The international community has previously criticized North Korea's space launch as a violation of UN Security Council sanctions against North Korea.

Some suggest that if China finds the North Korean launch vehicle debris first, it might return it to North Korea. However, this would violate international law. UN Security Council Resolution 1718, adopted in 2006, demands that North Korea refrain from ballistic missile launches, and Resolution 1874, adopted in 2009, prohibits all arms-related exports to North Korea. This is also why North Korea did not demand the return of debris during our military's salvage operations in 2012 and 2016.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.