Asia-Pacific

S. Korean fishing boat detained by DPRK: local media

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-08-09 07:24

SEOUL - A South Korea fishing boat, with seven crew members, has been detained by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), local media said on Sunday citing Seoul's coast guard.

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The boat, "55 Daeseung," with four South Korean and three Chinese sailors onboard, lost communication contact on waters about 270 km off east coast of the DPRK at around 11:00 a.m. local time on Sunday, Seoul's leading broadcaster YTN quoted governmental sources as saying.

The boat said in the last contact that "it is moving toward Sungjin Port of the DPRK," according to YTN.

But the Yonhap News Agency said the Daeseung has lost communication contact since around 18:30 local time Saturday.

Yonhap also reported that the Daeseung has probably been detained after entering the DPRK's Economic Zone, and its crew members are being investigated by the DPRK authorities, citing a coast guard official in the western port city of Incheon.

The South Korean government hoped the DPRK can take measures in line with the international law and conventions, and let the boat return as soon as possible, the unnamed official was quoted as saying.