North Korea to release South Korean boat, crew
September 6th, 2010 - 2:44 pm ICT by IANSSeoul, Sep 6 (DPA) North Korea said Monday that it would release seven South Korean crew members and their fishing boat, a month after they were taken into custody after Pyongyang said they had violated its maritime border.
State media called the violation “an intolerable infringement upon the sovereignty” of North Korea but the government decided to release the four South Koreans and three Chinese after they had confessed to sailing into North Korea’s exclusive economic zone off its east coast.
The decision to release the men was made on “patriotic and humanitarian grounds,” the reports said.
The fishing boat was intercepted Aug 8 and taken to a North Korean port. South Korea then asked repeatedly for the crew’s release.
South Korea’s unification ministry said North Korea had informed it that it would make a sea handover of the boat Tuesday.
The release comes at a time of heightened tension on the Korean Peninsula. South Korea blamed its neighbour for sinking one of its warships in March, killing 46 sailors. The North has denied involvement in the sinking.
- No response from N. Korea on S. Korea's request to release fishing boat - Aug 09, 2010
- Flood-hit North Korea seeks help from South Korea - Sep 07, 2010
- North Korea rejects South's apology demand - May 25, 2010
- S.Korea begins Yellow Sea anti-submarine drills, cocks a snook on N.Korea - Aug 05, 2010
- North Korea confirms seizing South Korean boat - Aug 19, 2010
- S Korea says Pyongyang's renewed call for inter-Korean talks 'lacks sincerity' - Jan 10, 2011
- N. Korea accuses US of goading S. Korea into provocation - Dec 19, 2010
- S. Korea drops demand for N. Korea apology - Jan 29, 2011
- S. Korean defence minister resigns over slow response to N. Korean shelling of island - Nov 26, 2010
- Seoul hopes tensions between Koreas will ease - Jan 02, 2012
- North Korea agrees with China on return to talks - Aug 20, 2010
- Clinton to address North-South tensions during Seoul visit - May 26, 2010
- North Korea proposes restarting family reunions - Sep 11, 2010
- We didn't sink South Korean warship: North Korea - May 28, 2010
- US, South Korea discuss UN resolution against North Korea - Jun 17, 2010
Tags: boat crew, border state, crew members, economic zone, fishing boat, handover, humanitarian grounds, korean crew, korean peninsula, neighbour, north korea, north korean, peninsula south, pyongyang, sailors, seoul, south korea, south koreans, unification ministry, warships