북한의 잠수함 수십 척이 동·서해 기지 를 이탈해 위치가 식별되지 않아 우리 군이 탐지전력을 증강해 추적에 나선 것으로 확인됐다.
식별되지 않은 잠수함은 전체 전력 70여척의 70%에 이른 것으로 전해졌다. 이는 6·25전쟁 이후 최대 이탈률이다.
군의 한 관계자는 23일 "북한의 잠수함 기지 이탈률이 평소보다 10배에 달한다"
면서 "잠수함 수십 척이 동·서해 기지를 이탈해 우리 탐지 장비에 식별되지 않고 있다"고 밝혔다.
<관련 영문 기사>
50 N. Korean submarines away from base
More than 50 North Korean submarines are apparently away from their bases for operations, a sign that the North is gearing up for combat while participating in high-level talks aimed at easing tension, an official here said Sunday.
"Seventy percent of North Korea's submarines left their bases, and their locations are not confirmed," the South Korean military official told reporters.
The North is known to have around 70 submarines.
The unpredictable communist nation has also doubled the number of its artillery troops on the border, with the command to be combat ready, according to the official.
Top government officials from the two Koreas were supposed to resume their talks at the truce village of Panmunjom at 3 p.m.
Sunday. It has not been confirmed yet whether they began the meeting as scheduled. (Yonhap)
