Chinese fishing boats held by North Korea

[Eugene]

Source: The Guardian

Chinese fishing boats held by North Korea

Owners of three vessels with 29 sailors on board say North Korea
is demanding a ransom payment for their release

Agencies in Beijing
guardian.co.uk, Thursday 17 May 2012 09.10 BST

Three Chinese fishing boats with 29 sailors on board have been seized by a North Korean gunboat, which is demanding a ransom for their release, Chinese media has reported.

The Chinese owners of the boats said they were hijacked on 8 May in the Yellow Sea, between China and North Korea, the Beijing News said.

The owners said the vessels were fishing in Chinese waters. North Korea has not made any public comment on the case.

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Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/may/17/chinese-boats-held-north-korea

[Eugene]

1. North Korea releases detained Chinese fishermen

Source: Reuters

North Korea releases detained Chinese fishermen

BEIJING | Sun May 20, 2012 11:59am EDT

(Reuters) - North Korea released a number of Chinese fishermen and boats on Sunday two weeks after seizing them, ending a rare public dispute between the two allies, Chinese state media reported.

The boats were taken in the Yellow Sea between China and North Korea on May 8 - although it remains unclear whether the action was authorized by the North Korean government.

The North Koreans who took the boats had demanded 1.2 million yuan ($189,800) for releasing the fishermen, then cut their price to 900,000 yuan, the owner of one of the captured vessels said last week.

The report on the Xinhua news agency did not say whether any payment had been made.

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Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/05/20/us-china-northkorea-idUSBRE84J07X20120520