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Taiwan to stay on alert over S. Korean ship sinking: President Ma

ROC Central News Agency

2010/03/27 14:45:10

Koror, Palau, March 27 (CNA) Taiwan's President Ma Ying-jeou said Saturday that he has instructed the military to stay on alert after he obtained a clearer picture of the sinking of a South Korean naval patrol ship on the sea between China and the Korean peninsula.

Ma, who is on a visit to Palau, was interrupted during a press conference Friday night and informed of the incident. He immediately called an emergency meeting with national security authorities, in which he ordered an activation of Taiwan's national security mechanism.

On Saturday morning, Ma held a conference call with officials in Taipei, including Vice President Vincent Siew, Minister of National Defense Kao Hua-chu, Premier Wu Den-yih and Legislative Yuan President Wang Jin-pyng, to gather further information, said Presidential Office spokesman Lo Chih-chiang, who is accompanying Ma on the diplomatic trip to Pacific Island ally countries.

Palau is the last stop of Ma's trip.

Ma decided to maintain his visit itinerary in Palau before flying home later Saturday, Lo said.

Ma arrived in Palau around noon Friday on the sixth and final leg of his week-long diplomatic tour of Taiwan's all six allies in the South Pacific. Ma has visited the Marshall Islands, Kiribati, Tuvalu, Nauru and the Solomon Islands.

According to foreign wire reports, the South Korean naval ship with 104 officers on board sank off the country's West Coast after an unexplained explosion ripped through its hull Friday night.

Fifty-eight sailors have been rescued, a military official told the AFP news agency. Meanwhile, a South Korean military spokesman said there was no indication so far that North Korea had been involved in the incident, the reports said.

Initially, South Korea's SBS TV Station reported the South Korean military patrol boat was hit by a North Korean torpedo before sinking.

In Taipei, Ministry of National Defense Spokesman Major General Yu Sy-tue said the ministry has a grasp of the situation and has kept in contact with the Presidential Office, the Executive Yuan and national security units.

Yu said military officials will stay on "high" alert, while the military will maintain its regular operations and make adjustments to its operations based on new information it receives.

Minister Kao has asked Chief of the General Staff Lin Chen-yi and his three deputies to stay at the Heng Shan Military Command Center, Taiwan's emergency military command center, and keep on "high" alert while monitoring the development of the incident. (By Garfie Li and Elizabeth Hsu) enditem/cs