N Korea to release fishing crew

Relevant offers

Asia

Rock star welcome for Suu Kyi Two Tibetans killed by Chinese security - report New Zealanders caught in Maldives coup Truck bomb kills one, wounds 13 Whopper whale shark washes up Millions pushed into child labour in Pakistan Five workers missing in flooded refinery tunnel Maldives president quits after police mutiny, protests 13 dead, 40 missing as 6.9 quake hits Philippines Child killed as 6.8 quake shakes Philippines

North Korea announced Monday it would free the crew of a South Korean fishing boat seized a month ago in its waters, calling it a "humanitarian" gesture.

The four South Korean and three Chinese fisherman were taken into custody on August 8, accused of fishing illegally in North Korea's exclusive economic zone off the east coast of the divided Korean peninsula.

North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency called the violation an "intolerable infringement" of the country's sovereignty but said the men would be released after admitting the seriousness of the act.

"But it was decided to send the boat and its crew back to South Korea from the compatriotic and humanitarian points of view, taking into consideration the fact that they admitted the seriousness of their act and gave assurances that they would never repeat such act," the KCNA report said.

South Korea's Unification Ministry said the North's Red Cross notified South Korean counterparts that the boat and all seven crew members would be released Tuesday at the Koreas' eastern maritime border.

The boat was seized at a time of tensions between the two Koreas, with South Korea blaming the North for the deadly sinking of a warship in March. Pyongyang denies attacking the warship.

- AP