Seoul opens an investigation into the promotion to four-star general of Kim Myong Guk. He was demoted after the skirmish at sea last November that caused the destruction of a ship from the North. The sinking of the South Korean ship would have determined his return to favour.

Seoul (AsiaNews / Agencies) - The order to scuttle the Cheonan – the South Korean corvette that sank last March 26 in waters of the Yellow Sea, causing 46 victims – was given by a former North Korean general, who has regained his position after the surprise move. This is the new line of investigation opened by the authorities in Seoul, after the images displayed by the North Korean state television, showing the senior officer Kim Myong-Guk wear a uniform with four stars on the collar.

Last January, the senior officer Kim (pictured), who heads the Army operations centre of Pyongyang, was downgraded to three star general. An intelligence official in Seoul confirmed the investigations started "on the grounds of the promotion”, which could be linked to" the sinking of Cheonan, but there are currently no formal conclusions.

According voices inside the regime, the loss of the pip is linked to the confrontation between vessels of the two armies along the inter-Korean maritime border, which occurred last November. Gunfire caused the destruction of a coastguard vessel of the North Korean navy.

Intelligence experts in Seoul suggest that the sinking of Cheonan - a 1200 ton battleship - was caused by a North Korean submarine, or a torpedo manned by a kamikaze. To date, no official accusations have been made against the north, but investigations seem to lead towards Pyongyang, as instigators and perpetrators of the attack.

Last weekend the General Kim Myong-Guk - flaunting his four stars - appeared on television with the North Korean dictator Kim Jong-il, near a military base camouflaged by the vegetation.

• korea
• north
• south
• ship
• navy
• torpedo
• general
• army
• kim
• jong
• il