Just War and Just Battle: North Korea’s Attack against the ROKS Cheonan and its Unexplored Discourse of an Unjustified Military Action

In March 2010, a North Korean submarine fired torpedo against the South ship Cheonan, which resulted in deaths of 46 sailors. Is its surprise attack justified? The academic examination has rarely been made over whether Korea’s use military force is justified this battle. As just war theory to date dealt mostly with major wars, it also can guide us judge limited warfare or not. principles are composed three axes: before, and after wars. First, provocation had neither right cause nor intension because attacked Cheonan preventively, not preemptively, was intended achieve domestic objective, stable succession Kim regime. Second, Korea did observe in-war sense that sank unproportionally maximize effectiveness revenge. Third, interested post-battle settlements but aggravate tensions region, compliant post-war principles. sheds some light on need expand scope from battles particularly helps restrain unethical maintain rules-based international order. This expansion will contribute only richness further leading evolve into grand war.