Koreas - new tensions

North captures stray fishing boat from south

Article published on the 2009-07-30 Latest update 2009-07-30 08:51 TU

North Korean soldiers look towards the south at the truce village of Panmunjom in the Paju demilitarised zone separating the two Koreas.
(Photo: Reuters)

North Korea has seized a stray South Korean fishing boat and its four crew members, officials said. The move escalates tensions after a week of aggressive statements from the communist regime.

South Korea called for the immediate return of the crew and squid fishing vessel, a 29-tonne boat, but there was no immediate response from the North. The vessel is thought to have sailed off course due to a faulty global positioning system.

South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff office said the boat was towed by a North Korean patrol boat and was being taken towards the eastern port of Jangjon.

The seizure follows threats by Pyongyang to retaliate against sanctions imposed after recent nuclear and missile tests, and a warning of "all-out war" ahead of US-South Korean military drills next month.

Seoul's Unification Ministry also demanded that the boat and its crew be returned "as soon as possible" in a telephone message to the North, spokesperson Chun Hae-Sung told reporters at a briefing.

The rival Koreas have a record of returning fishing vessels that err onto the wrong side of the disputed maritime border. In 2006 two South Korean fishing boats returned home after accidentally straying into North Korean waters, according to Yonhap news agency.

Tensions on the Korean peninsula have soared following the North's missile and nuclear tests, which resulted in tougher UN sanctions.

The United States has urged the international community to continue to pressure North Korea to return to the six-party talks – but this week it lashed out at Washington and reaffirmed its demand to deal with the United States directly.

Despite Washington's categorical rejection of that bilateral approach, UN chief Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday voiced support for North Korea's call.  

"While I believe the six-party talks still can provide a good way for solution through dialogue, if necessary there should be some other form of dialogue," Ban said.