Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08SEOUL1606
2008-08-14 05:01:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Seoul
Cable title:
ROK RELIEVED DPRK NOT MAKING ISSUE OF COLLISION OF
how-toVZCZCXYZ0009 OO RUEHWEB DE RUEHUL #1606 2270501 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 140501Z AUG 08 FM AMEMBASSY SEOUL TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1242 INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING PRIORITY 4639 RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW PRIORITY 8905 RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO PRIORITY 4762 RHHMUNA/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI PRIORITY RHMFISS/CHJUSMAGK SEOUL KOR PRIORITY RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RHMFISS/COMUSFK SEOUL KOR PRIORITY RHMFISS/COMUSKOREA J5 SEOUL KOR PRIORITY RHMFISS/COMUSKOREA SCJS SEOUL KOR PRIORITY RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC//J-5// PRIORITY RHEHNSC/NSC WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC//OSD/ISA/EAP// PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L SEOUL 001606
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/13/2018
TAGS: PBTS PGOV PHSA PINS MARR KS KN
SUBJECT: ROK RELIEVED DPRK NOT MAKING ISSUE OF COLLISION OF
ROK BARGE AND DPRK FISHING BOAT
Classified By: AMB. ALEXANDER VERSHBOW. REASONS 1.4 (b/d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L SEOUL 001606
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/13/2018
TAGS: PBTS PGOV PHSA PINS MARR KS KN
SUBJECT: ROK RELIEVED DPRK NOT MAKING ISSUE OF COLLISION OF
ROK BARGE AND DPRK FISHING BOAT
Classified By: AMB. ALEXANDER VERSHBOW. REASONS 1.4 (b/d).
1. (C) At 2:25 a.m. on August 12, the 658 ton "Dongi No.1,"
a South Korean barge, collided with an unnamed North Korean
fishing vessel in North Korean territorial waters
approximately 8 km northeast of Jangjon, a port on the DPRK's
eastern cost. The ten crewmen of the South Korean barge
admitted to having been asleep at the time, leaving only
their captain to steer the boat. Following the collision,
which sank the DPRK fishing boat, two of the four North
Korean fishermen were pulled from the water by the crew of
the barge, but the other two North Koreans remain missing and
are presumed to be dead. The South Korean vessel suffered
damage to its hull, but none of its crewmembers were injured.
The barge was in North Korean waters because it was
transporting sand it had collected at Jangjon back to the
South Korean port of Geoje.
2. (C) MOFAT Inter-Korean Policy Division officers told us
that their hearts sank when they heard the news because
tensions between North and South had already been running
high as a result of the Mount Kumgang shooting incident.
They say they have been very pleased that the DPRK has thus
far chosen not to try and publicly link the two issues.
Ministry of Unification officer J.R. Kim stated that they
viewed the DPRK's decision to allow the South Korean crew to
return to the ROK without detaining them as a very positive
gesture. He added that DPRK officials seemed to view the
accident as understandable, given the time at which the
collision took place, but that there has been no official
contact between ROK and DPRK officials following the
accident. He said there have only been public announcements
made by their respective governments, as reported in the
media.
3. (C) Since 2000, there have been a total of eight
accidents involving South Korean ships in North Korean
waters. In each case, the North allowed all of the vessels
and crewmembers involved to return to the ROK, citing
humanitarian reasons.
VERSHBOW
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/13/2018
TAGS: PBTS PGOV PHSA PINS MARR KS KN
SUBJECT: ROK RELIEVED DPRK NOT MAKING ISSUE OF COLLISION OF
ROK BARGE AND DPRK FISHING BOAT
Classified By: AMB. ALEXANDER VERSHBOW. REASONS 1.4 (b/d).
1. (C) At 2:25 a.m. on August 12, the 658 ton "Dongi No.1,"
a South Korean barge, collided with an unnamed North Korean
fishing vessel in North Korean territorial waters
approximately 8 km northeast of Jangjon, a port on the DPRK's
eastern cost. The ten crewmen of the South Korean barge
admitted to having been asleep at the time, leaving only
their captain to steer the boat. Following the collision,
which sank the DPRK fishing boat, two of the four North
Korean fishermen were pulled from the water by the crew of
the barge, but the other two North Koreans remain missing and
are presumed to be dead. The South Korean vessel suffered
damage to its hull, but none of its crewmembers were injured.
The barge was in North Korean waters because it was
transporting sand it had collected at Jangjon back to the
South Korean port of Geoje.
2. (C) MOFAT Inter-Korean Policy Division officers told us
that their hearts sank when they heard the news because
tensions between North and South had already been running
high as a result of the Mount Kumgang shooting incident.
They say they have been very pleased that the DPRK has thus
far chosen not to try and publicly link the two issues.
Ministry of Unification officer J.R. Kim stated that they
viewed the DPRK's decision to allow the South Korean crew to
return to the ROK without detaining them as a very positive
gesture. He added that DPRK officials seemed to view the
accident as understandable, given the time at which the
collision took place, but that there has been no official
contact between ROK and DPRK officials following the
accident. He said there have only been public announcements
made by their respective governments, as reported in the
media.
3. (C) Since 2000, there have been a total of eight
accidents involving South Korean ships in North Korean
waters. In each case, the North allowed all of the vessels
and crewmembers involved to return to the ROK, citing
humanitarian reasons.
VERSHBOW