North Korea to release South Korean fishing boat, crew (Roundup)

Sep 6, 2010, 13:05 GMT

Seoul - North Korea said Monday that it would release seven crew members and their South Korean fishing boat, a month after they were taken into custody when 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 August 8 and taken to a North Korean port. South Korea asked repeatedly for the crew's release.

South Korea's Unification Ministry welcomed the announcement while the Red Cross, Seoul's main communications channel with Pyongyang on humanitarian issues, said North Korea pledged to send the 55 Daesung and its seven squid-fishing crew members over the border in the Sea of Japan, also called the East Sea, on Tuesday.

About a year ago, North Korea also released four crew members of another South Korean fishing boat after holding them about a month after they strayed into its waters.

The most recent release would come 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 denied involvement in the sinking.

Despite the crisis, South Korea's Red Cross association has offered the North 10 billion won (8.5 million dollars) in aid in recent weeks. The relief aid is to help victims of recent flooding in the neighbouring country.

North Korea has yet to say whether it would accept the aid.