South Korean View of P-1 Fire Control Radar Incident

(Source- Channel A News Top Ten, 12.24) Threatening aircraft South Korea- Japan radar tension: Even though no threatening action- nitpicky Japan...what's their scheme? Taehwoatoi fishing grounds - Dokto (island) disputed territory confrontation plan? Construct a pretext for war making powers?

(Source- Channel A News Top Ten, 12.24) Red oval, upper right, shows the position of the Taehwoatoi fishing grounds, in the Sea of Japan/East Sea between Korea and Japan. The X marks the relative position of a disabled small wooden North Korean fishing vessel in this area on December 20, about three pm. The South Korean Navy destroyer DDH 971 responded to distress calls in heavy seas, said to be 5 meters. Japanese Maritime Defense Force P-1 maritime patrol aircraft was in the area flying at low altitude. The position of Dokto (island) is represented near the tail of the P-1 graphic. The irregular polygon represents open waters between the two countries outside of their respective exclusive economic zones. Dokto is located in the open waters. Further west, Ulong island is within the South Korean exclusive economic zone (EEZ). The Oki islands of Japan are southeast of Dokto in the Japanese EEZ. The open waters between the two countries in the East Sea/Sea of Japan and current EEZ boundaries represent the agreements reached between Japan and South Korea with respect to shared fisheries and economic development. These agreements do not affect the claims of the parties to the territory of Dokto, which is in the possession of South Korea.

(Source- Channel A News Top Ten, 12.24) Gwanggaeto the Great destroyer DDH 971 equipped with STIR-180 artillery and missile fire control radar.

The Korean destroyer was answering a distress call from a small North Korean fishing vessel in heavy seas. They turned their fire control radar on to locate the small wooden fishing vessel, and as the Japanese aircraft entered the area, at some point the latter detected a threat warning indication from the STIR 180 fire control radar. The Korean Defense Ministry statement indicated that the fire control radar was being used to discern the exact position of the distressed vessel in very heavy seas. Japanese official statements claim the incident involved an irresponsible presentation of a threat to their P-1 aircraft. The ROK Defense Ministry denied that there was any threat to the aircraft. Channel A News analysts suggested that if relations with Japan were better, the incident would not have resulted in such a critical and elevated response from Japan.

Shin In Kyun's presentation of this incident suggests that the South Korean ship should have advised the Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force of their presence and purpose in the area, and advised the P-1 of the use of the fire control radar for search purposes in the emergency situation. Shin also suggests that the P-1's continued approach to the destroyer after receiving radar threat warning indications from the STIR 180 fire control radar, is evidence that they were aware there was no threat. A picture taken from the P-1, shows the aft STIR fire control system bearing toward the P-1. The Korean position is that it was operating in the optical mode at that point to record the P-1 passing close by. Shin's analysis emphasizes that international law calls for exercising all possible measures to rescue sailors in distress. By contrast, the Code for Unplanned Encounters at Sea prohibits the use of fire control radars "locking up" other vessels or aircraft or simulating such fire control lock ups. One South Korean Defense Ministry statement denied that the STIR 180 had "locked up" the P-1. The Koreans feel the International Convention on Maritime Search and Rescue justifies their actions.

The analysts felt that the Japanese response was so unusual it reflected underlying ulterior motives on the part of the Abe administration. Among those, Abe is looking for an issue to impugn South Korea's international standing and at the same time distract Japan's domestic public with a manufactured national defense issue. The bottom line purpose is to override the domestic opposition to turning the Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force and it's other self defense forces into offensive military forces. Specifically, the Channel A News analysts mentioned the pending conversion of their helicopter carrier escort class, Izumo, to make it suitable for F-35b fighter aircraft operations as the specific issue currently in question. Opponents to Abe in Japan's legislature are against it.

An editorial in The Chosun Ilbo presented the view that the situation reflected the deterioration in relations with the "nationalist" policies of Abe, and Japanese growing anger with the Moon administration's treatment of the comfort women agreement, and the Korean court's ordering Japanese companies to compensate individual complainants for forced labor during WWII. The Chosun Ilbo editorial reported the Korean destroyer successfully rescued the North Korean fishing vessel.

http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2018/12/24/2018122401185.html