Statement from the Blue House

The Republic of Korea has finished conducting its investigation of the recent operation surrounding the Kareliya intelligence vessel.

We remain committed to our original statement that the ROK was operating in due procedure. Our intelligence indicated that the vessel in question was providing intelligence support to the hijackers behind the recent JR Kyushu BEETLE incident. Because this ship was discovered in our territorial waters right off the coast of our country, we did the right thing by providing warnings prior to boarding. No response was given from the vessel, and so our forces boarded the ship. Then, the crew on board violently resisted any attempts at dialogue or apprehension, resulting in the unfortunate skirmish.

The ROK offers its condolences to the families of the Korean and Russian casualties and will openly offer medical support to the victims. Additionally, we also fully acknowledge that although it is not a requirement within our procedures, we did not consider to communicate this discovery to the Russian central government as soon as possible. Despite initial tensions, both parties have made efforts to de-escalate the situation. The ROK, for our part, have been committed in facilitating the swift return of the Kareliya vessel. We hope that this shows our desire to resolve conflicts in a peaceful, forward-oriented manner, and our wish to maintain peaceful relations with every country.