DPRK releases the S Korean crew

07.09.2010 N Korea announced release of S Korean fishing vessel's crew arrested in Aug for violation of DPRK sea border.

According to Radio Liberty, seven fishermen – four S Koreans and three Chinese – will be handed over to official Seoul.

Deportation of the arrested crew became possible only when sailors "gave guarantee not to perform acts like those they had been apprehended for", writes Gazeta.Ru.

We recall that on Aug 19 N Korean authorities confirmed the seizure of S Korean fishing ship. It was reported that the vessel had been arrested for violation of inter-Korean sea border. Communication with the 41-ton ship was lost on Aug 8.

It should be pointed out that relations between Seoul and Pyongyang becomes progressively strained.

Previously, the U.S. and S Korea postponed subsequent phase of joint naval exercise scheduled in Sept 5-9. ASW maneuvers of the two countries in the Yellow Sea were put off due to a coming typhoon.

N Korea's leading newspaper Rodong Sinmun previously called decision of S Korea and the U.S. to kick off joint naval exercise in the Yellow Sea as a "serious military provocation" and "egregious challenge".

It was planned that about 17,000 servicemen, 7 warships, and 2 submarines would be involved in the second S Korean-American naval exercise.

It should be noted that N Korea's attitude to any military maneuvers of Seoul and Washington is extremely negative. Pyongyang not once declared full alert because of the neighbor's naval exercises in the Yellow Sea.