1996 Gangneung submarine infiltration incident

Last updated
Infiltration of Gangneung
1996 NK sub.jpg
The Sang-O-class submarine stranded on the South Korean coast
Date17 September 1996 – 5 November 1996
Location
Gangneung, Gangwon Province, South Korea
Result South Korean victory
Belligerents
Flag of South Korea (1949-1984).svg  South Korea Flag of North Korea.svg  North Korea
Strength
43,000 personnel 1 Sang-O-class submarine
26 personnel
Casualties and losses

13 killed

  • 8 killed in action
  • 4 in accidents
  • 1 off-duty soldier murdered
27 wounded

24 killed

  • 11 executed by own men
  • 13 killed in action
1 captured (Lee Kwang-soo)
1 missing
1 submarine captured [1]
3 South Korean civilians killed [1]

The 1996 Gangneung submarine infiltration incident began on 18 September 1996, near the South Korean city of Gangneung when North Koreans abandoned their grounded submarine, and hid within the city resulting in 49 day long manhunt for the belligerents. [2]

Contents

The incident was one of the more serious instances of North Korean espionage involving the Reconnaissance Bureau (reconnaissance team and 22nd Squadron of the Maritime Department of the Reconnaissance Bureau). [3] The raid was launched by North Korean armed spies to assassinate the President of South Korea, Kim Young-sam, during his visit to Chuncheon, on 5 October 1996.[ citation needed ]

Months after the start of the incident North Korea issued a rare apology for the events and ensuing loss of life. [4]

Landing

On 15 September 1996, a North Korean Sang-O-class submarine landed a three-person special operations reconnaissance team on the east coast of South Korea near Jeongdongjin, 20 kilometres (12 mi) south-east of Gangneung, Gangwon-do. Their mission was to spy on the naval installations in the area and then return. However, the larger mission was the assassination of South Korean President Kim Young-sam. [5] The "reconnaissance team" alongside the submarine was to help drop off the "assassination" team, survey government facilities, and return. [2] The "assassination team" was to assassinate president Kim Young-sam at Chuncheon, a nearby city.[ citation needed ] President Kim was planning to visit Chuncheon to open a national sports event to be held on 7 October.[ citation needed ]

The submarine made a failed attempt to collect the team on the 16th and returned the following day. On the 17th it ran aground in the attempt, and all efforts to free her were unsuccessful. [2]

The crew then decided to destroy the sensitive equipment in the submarine by starting a fire inside. [2] They then split up in several groups unnoticed until one group was soon spotted by a local taxi driver around 1:00 a.m. who became suspicious by their clothing and behavior and alerted the authorities, who quickly mobilized. [2] [6]

Manhunt

A 49-day-long manhunt ensued, from September 18 to November 5, resulting in the capture or death of all of the commandos except one, [2] who is believed to have made it back to North Korea.[ citation needed ]

Three civilians and 13 South Korean soldiers (eight KIA and four in accidents) died; 27 soldiers were wounded. The thirteenth casualty was an off-duty soldier who was killed by the infiltrators while searching for firewood. Of the 25 North Korean infiltrators, one was captured, 11 were killed by the other members for failure in responsibility of running aground of the submarine, and 13 were killed in firefights with the South Korean Army.

The infiltrators possessed among their arsenal M16A1 rifles (with accompanying 5.56mm NATO ammunition) and imitation South Korean-style military uniforms. [7] [8] Nestlé Crunch chocolate bars were also recovered. [9] Some of the dead spies' corpses were displayed to the media; [10] some were wearing South Korean-style military uniforms as disguises.

Though the last infiltrator has never been found, officials announced the end of the manhunt on November 5, believing the commando to have either escaped across the border or died. [11]

Timeline of belligerent casualties

Evidence of activity inside South Korea

Amidst the manhunt, at least two of the North Korean infiltrators spent a night playing video games at a nearby ski resort (Yongpyong Resort) according to their diaries and rolls of film left behind. [11] The resort is located about 18 miles away from where their submarine ran aground. Film rolls showed pictures taken of a variety of South Korean military installations around. [11] The diary further tells of how the pair lived for two weeks in a shelter they dug in the side of a mountain before making the push north to the border. [11] In all they claim to have travelled some 80 total miles during the manhunt. [12] On their way north they stabbed to death three civilian hikers they encountered and in a separate encounter strangled a South Korean Army private who set out to collect firewood. [11] The bodies of the hikers were discovered soon after. The private was believed to be a deserter until one of the North Koreans was found wearing his uniform. [11]

Responses

South Korean officials from both the governing party and opposition party, as well as major newspapers criticized the military for failing to detect the submarine. [13]

Aftermath

The Sang-O class submarine on display (2012) Gangneung sub 8990.jpg
The Sang-O class submarine on display (2012)

The Sang-O class submarine was salvaged and remains on display at Tongil (Unification) Park near Gangneung.

North Korea was at first reluctant to take responsibility, claiming that the submarine had suffered an engine failure and had drifted aground.[ citation needed ] By 29 December, however, the North issued an official statement expressing "deep regret" over the submarine incident. [1] In reciprocity, the South Korean government returned the cremated remains of the soldiers to the North via Panmunjom the very next day, the first event of its kind between the neighboring countries. [15] [2]

Some analysts suspected that the motivation behind the assassination of Choe Deok-geun, South Korean consul for the Russian Far East, was North Korean retaliation for the loss of their men. [16] [17] [18]

Lee Kwang-soo, the only captured North Korean, remained in South Korea and reportedly became an instructor for the ROK Navy. [2]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gangneung</span> Municipal City in Gwandong, South Korea

Gangneung is a municipal city in Gangwon province, on the east coast of South Korea. It has a population of 213,658. Gangneung is the economic centre of the Yeongdong region of Gangwon State. It has many tourist attractions, such as Jeongdongjin, a very popular area for watching the sunrise, and Gyeongpo Beach. The city hosted all the ice events for the 2018 Winter Olympics and the 2024 Winter Youth Olympics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Korean DMZ Conflict</span> Conflict in Korea Demitilarized Zone started in 1966–1969

The Korean DMZ Conflict, also referred to as the Second Korean War by some, was a series of low-level armed clashes between North Korean forces and the forces of South Korea and the United States, largely occurring between 1966 and 1969 along the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Russian commando frogmen</span> Tactical scuba diving unit

The Russian commando frogmen, informally called "commando frogmen" in civilian media, are a Russian Naval Spetsnaz unit under operational subordination to the Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU). It is the special forces unit of the Russian Naval Infantry and is composed of highly trained and elite marines within the Naval Infantry. By virtue of belonging to the Russian Naval Infantry, frogmen fall under the Coastal Troops of the Russian Navy service arm. The Russian Navy proper does not field any special forces or special operations units. Russian FSB special forces Alpha Group and Vympel also have frogman units in their respective naval components.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Special forces of Australia</span> Units of Australian Defence Force

The special forces of the Australian Defence Force are units of Special Operations Command and associated units of the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force that conduct and or support special operations to advance and protect the national security of the Commonwealth of Australia. The special forces of Australia have a lineage to a variety of units raised in the Second World War such as the Independent and Commando Companies, Z Special Unit, Navy Beach Commandos, and the Coastwatchers. Australian special forces have most recently been deployed to Iraq in Operation Okra as the Special Operations Task Group, as the Special Operations Task Group in Afghanistan, in Afghanistan in support of the Australian Secret Intelligence Service and regularly for counter-terrorism pre-deploy to locations of major domestic events throughout Australia in readiness to support law enforcement such as the 2014 G20 Brisbane summit.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Choe Deok-geun</span> South Korean diplomat (1942–1996)

Choe Deok-geun, also spelled Choi Duck-keun or Choi Duk-gun, was a South Korean consular official for the Russian Far East who was believed to have been assassinated by poison in October 1996.

Sang-O-class submarine 1991 class of North Korean Navy submarines

The Sang-O ("Shark") class of submarines are diesel-electric coastal submarines in service with the Korean People's Navy, the navy of North Korea. They are the country's second largest indigenously-built submarines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1998 Yeosu submersible incident</span> 1998 naval skirmish between North Korea and South Korea

The 1998 Yeosu submersible incident was a naval skirmish that occurred off of the southern coast of South Korea between 17 and 18 December 1998. On the evening of 17 December, a South Korean observation post sighted a North Korean semi-submersible naval vessel in the vicinity of the city of Yeosu. The semi-submersible was discovered and sunk during a subsequent search and skirmish on the morning of 18 December.

The Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol (LRRP) is a Covert Operation unit of Sri Lanka Army. This unit is also known as the Deep Penetration Unit (DPU). Colonel Raj Vijayasiri of the Special Forces regiment is credited as the main figure who introduced the DPU concept first to Sri Lankan army.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Republic of Korea Navy Special Warfare Flotilla</span> Special warfare unit of Republic of Korea Navy

The Republic of Korea Navy Special Warfare Flotilla is a special operations force of the Republic of Korea Navy. The WARFLOT is most commonly referred to as the Underwater Demolition Team or UDT, and sometimes as UDT/SEALs, coming from the fact UDTs are the most prominent branch of the flotilla and their close ties with US Navy SEALs respectively.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blue House raid</span> 1968 North Korean assassination attempt on South Korean President Park Chung-hee

The Blue House raid, also known in South Korea as the January 21 Incident, was a raid launched by North Korean commandos in an attempt to assassinate President of South Korea Park Chung Hee in his residence at the Blue House in Seoul, on January 21, 1968. A 31-man team of the Korean People's Army (KPA) infiltrated the DMZ but was intercepted by police near the presidential residence. In the ensuing pursuit, all but two commandos were killed; one was captured, and one fled back to North Korea. South Korean casualties totaled 26 killed and 66 wounded, including about 24 civilians; four Americans also were killed. President Park was unharmed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Korean People's Army Special Operations Forces</span> North Korean military unit

The Korean People's Army Special Operations Forces are the special forces of Korean People's Army. It performs military, political, and psychological operations. KPASOF actively tests South Korea; activities were detected in the decades following the Korean War.

Unit 124 was a black operations unit of the North Korean Special Operation Forces formed to assassinate South Korean President Park Chung Hee in the Blue House raid in January 1968.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Korean People's Navy</span> Maritime warfare branch of North Koreas military

The Korean People's Army Navy (KPANF; Korean: 조선인민군 해군; Hanja: 朝鮮人民軍 海軍; MR: Chosŏn-inmingun Haegun; lit. Korean People's Military Navy; or the Korean People's Navy, is the naval component of the Korean People's Army, the North Korean armed forces.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eighth Army Ranger Company</span> American Ranger light infantry company

The Eighth Army Ranger Company, also known as the 8213th Army Unit, was a Ranger light infantry company of the United States Army that was active during the Korean War. As a small special forces unit, it specialized in irregular warfare. Intended to combat the North Korean (NK) commandos who had been effective at infiltration and disruption behind United Nations (UN) lines, the Eighth Army Ranger Company was formed at the height of the Battle of Pusan Perimeter in September 1950 and was the first U.S. Army Ranger unit created since World War II. The company went into action as a part of the 25th Infantry Division during the UN advance into North Korea in October and November. It was best known for its defense of Hill 205 against an overwhelming Chinese attack during the Battle of the Ch'ongch'on River which resulted 41 of the 51 Rangers becoming casualties.

The 1998 Sokcho submarine incident occurred on 22 June 1998, offshore of the South Korean city of Sokcho.

The Reconnaissance General Bureau, part of the General Staff Department, is a North Korean intelligence agency that manages the state's clandestine operations. Most of their operations have a specific focus on Japan, South Korea, and the United States. It was established in 2009.

<i>Steel Rain</i> 2017 South Korean film

Steel Rain is a 2017 South Korean action thriller film directed by Yang Woo-suk, based on his 2011 webtoon of the same name. The film stars Jung Woo-sung and Kwak Do-won.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Uljin–Samcheok Landings</span> 1968 unsuccessful infiltration attempt by North Korea

The Ulchin-Samcheok landings was an unsuccessful attempt by North Korea to establish guerrilla camps in the Taebaek Mountains on October 30, 1968, in order to topple Park Chung-hee's regime and bring about the reunification of Korea.

On September 18, 1996, 26 special troops and crew members from the North Korean Ministry of People's Armed Forces' Reconnaissance Bureau infiltrated the area after a North Korean shark-class submarine ran aground on the coast of Aninjin-myeon, Gangneung-si, Gangwon-do.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "North Korea apologizes for submarine intrusion". CNN. 29 December 1996. Archived from the original on 6 November 2012. Retrieved 8 December 2012.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Dies Jr, H. P. (2004). North Korean Special Operations Forces: 1996 Kangnung Submarine Infiltration. Military Intelligence Professional Bulletin, 30(4), 29–34.
  3. ↑ "In 1996, a Dead North Korean Spy Submarine (Armed with Commandos) Nearly Started a War". Center for the National Interest. 13 March 2017. Archived from the original on 13 May 2019. Retrieved 13 May 2019.
  4. ↑ Smith, Donald C. (1989). "The rhetoric of the weekly compilation of presidential documents". Government Publications Review. 16 (3): 213–217. doi:10.1016/0277-9390(89)90054-x. ISSN   0277-9390.
  5. ↑ Lee, Jung-hoon (1996-10-17), "생포간첩 이광수 "침투 목적은 대통령 암살"/Live captured Lee Kwang-soo, "mission was to assassinate the President"", Sisa Journal, archived from the original on 2022-08-07, retrieved 2022-05-11
  6. ↑ Ahn, J. H. (2017-04-05). "The night the North Koreans came ashore: the Gangneung incident, 21 years on | NK News". NK News - North Korea News. Retrieved 2023-01-08.
  7. ↑ "A Weapon Displayed From North Korea Special Forces and their Submarine". MBC News . 25 September 1996. Archived from the original on 1 January 2016.
  8. ↑ "Equipment of North Korean Special Forces and Espionage". Yu Yong-won's Military World, Chosun Ilbo. 16 April 2013. Archived from the original on 30 November 2022.
  9. ↑ "SOUTH KOREA: SUBMARINE INVESTIGATION". YouTube. Archived from the original on 2021-12-20. Retrieved 7 January 2019.
  10. ↑ "SOUTH KOREA: GUN BATTLES FOLLOW NORTH KOREAN INFILTRATION ATTEMPT". YouTube. Archived from the original on 2021-12-20. Retrieved 7 January 2019.
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "South Korean Manhunt Missed a Video Parlor". The New York Times . 8 November 1996. Archived from the original on 25 September 2023.
  12. ↑ "In 1996, a Dead North Korean Spy Submarine (Armed with Commandos) Nearly Started a War". 13 March 2017. Archived from the original on 13 May 2019. Retrieved 13 May 2019.
  13. 1 2 By NICHOLAS D. KRISTOF 1996, North Korea Infiltrators Still Elude Search: Anger over both the incursion and the South Korean Army's conduct, New York, N.Y.
  14. 1 2 3 By The New, Y. T. (1996, Oct 16). China Joins Criticism Of North Korea Sub. New York Times
  15. ↑ Roblin, Sebastien (2017-03-13). "In 1996, a Dead North Korean Spy Submarine (Armed with Commandos) Nearly Started a War". The National Interest. Archived from the original on 2023-02-08. Retrieved 2023-01-09.
  16. ↑ "North Korea denies murdering diplomat", CNN, 1996-10-04, archived from the original on 2007-06-05, retrieved 2007-06-01
  17. ↑ Jeong, Hoe-sang (1996-10-17), "최덕근 영사, 러시아 마피아가 살해했다?/Consul Choe Deok-geun, killed by the Russian Mafia?", Sisa Journal, archived from the original on 2007-09-27, retrieved 2007-06-01
  18. ↑ Bertil, Lintner (2002). Blood Brothers: Crime, Business, and Politics in Asia. Allen and Unwin. pp. 213–214. ISBN   1-86508-419-0.

Bibliography

37°43′07″N129°00′16″E / 37.718680°N 129.004508°E / 37.718680; 129.004508

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.