South Korea Plotted a Course Through Crisis

SEOUL - South Korea on Monday halted all trade with North Korea and closed its sea lanes to Pyongyang's vessels over the sinking of the corvette Cheonan in March. The measures came a day after Seoul vowed to take Pyongyang to the United Nations Security Council over the "clear armed provocation".

The response follows the May 21 results of an investigation into the sinking, but it seems certain that the South Korean government either knew or strongly suspected all along that the Cheonan was sunk by a North Korean stealth attack. The Blue House (the center of presidential power) likely realized quickly that an admission of this fact would present the government with a dangerous dilemma, particularly if it were made immediately after the incident.