The paper said that the joint investigation team excluded the possibility of mine explosion in its final report on the "Cheonan" ship's sinking case in 2010.

But it was recently disclosed by a person related to the operation of planting sea mines in the waters off Paekryong Islet that mines controlled ashore, a revised version of the U.S. anti-submarine bomb, exploded at least three or four times at the time of their laying in 1979 and right after that.

Inhabitants on Paekryong Islet said they saw mines in the sea and found the signs of their explosion, the paper said, adding it has become clear that there still remain lots of mines in the waters around the islet.

It is experts' view that the explosion of the mines are likely even after the lapse of over three decades, the paper stressed, adding:

The evidence refuting the conclusion of the joint investigation team actively supports the argument of "Cheonan's" possible sinking by a mine.