N. Korea says 'no information' to share over seized S. Korean fishing boat

SEOUL, July 31 (Yonhap) -- North Korea said Friday it does not yet have any
information to share concerning a South Korean fishing boat seized by the
communist nation after it strayed across the sea border.

The response came during a cross-border phone call Friday morning. The
squid-fishing boat, carrying four crewmembers, was towed into a North Korean port
on Thursday.
"The phone conversation was held this morning," Unification Ministry spokeswoman
Lee Jong-joo said. "(North Korea) said they have no information to give at this
moment and that they will keep us informed," Lee said.
The 29-ton boat was seized by a North Korean patrol boat 13km above the Northern
Limit Line, the de facto inter-Korean maritime border, in the East Sea at 5:05
a.m. on Thursday. Seoul officials said the boat either did not have a satellite
navigation device or that it had malfunctioned.
South Korea promptly delivered messages via phone and fax to North Korea calling
for the immediate release of the boat and its crew.
Hours later, North Korea responded, saying "A pertinent organization is
investigating" the case.
The case marked the first breach of North Korean waters by a South Korean fishing
boat since President Lee Myung-bak took office in Seoul last year. In previous
incidents, North Korea has released South Korean stray boats after a week or two
of inquiry.
hkim@yna.co.kr
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