Traces of explosives found on sunken S Korean ship

The 1,200-ton corvette, the Cheonan, sank on March 26 after a mysterious blast split the ship in half. The South Korean government has said a torpedo attack was the likely cause of the blast, and many South Koreans believe the North was responsible.

North Korea has denied any involvement in the sinking.“It is true that traces of RDX, a chemical substance used in making torpedoes, have been found,” Defence Minister Kim Tae-young said on Monday, referring to a component common to many military explosives. “There is a high possibility of a torpedo attack but it’s still too early to announce” the definitive cause of the blast, he said. The material was found on the ship’s smokestack and in samples of sand from the sinking site, said Rear Adm Moon Byung-ok, a spokesman.