ROK FISHING BOAT SEIZED IN DPRK WATERS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SEOUL 001203 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/30/2019 TAGS: EFIS MARR PGOV PREL KS KN SUBJECT: ROK FISHING BOAT SEIZED IN DPRK WATERS Classified By: POL M/C James L. Wayman. Reasons 1.4(b/d) ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: A South Korean fishing boat was seized by the DPRK on July 30. A senior MOU official confirmed to us later in the day that the boat was seven miles north of Northern Limit Line (NLL) when it was seized. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (SBU) On July 30, a South Korean fishing boat with four crewmen was seized by a North Korean patrol boat in the Sea of Japan. Superintendent General of the Korean Coast Guard Kim Suk-kyoon confirmed that the boat was detained around 6:40 a.m. and the DPRK Navy notified the ROK Navy shortly thereafter. ¶3. (C) Ministry of Unification (MOU) Deputy Minister for Inter-Korean Dialogue Um Jong-sik told POL M/C that at the time of seizure the South Korean boat was seven miles north of the NLL and eleven miles north of the fishing line, which is set four miles south of the NLL. Um said the ROK had used its maritime communication link with the DPRK to contact the North at 8:50 a.m. on July 30 and request the release of the boat and crew. The DPRK acknowledged the receipt of the message and said that they would need to speak to the superiors and would inform South Korea of the outcome. Um said the ROKG has not received any additional responses from the North. Only the maritime channel and the flight communication lines remain open after the North's unilateral destruction of the Red Cross land line in November 2008. ¶4. (SBU) South Korean fishing boats have been seized, and eventually released, by the DPRK in previous years. In April 2005, a South Korean vessel was seized in the DPRK's waters, but the ship and crew were returned after five days without any request from the ROKG. In December 2006, a captured South Korean ship was returned after five ROK requests and fifteen days of detention. When a North Korean boat was found in the ROK waters in November 2008, the ship and 22-man crew were returned immediately. All incidences occurred in the Sea of Japan, where the military maritime stance of both Koreas is less tense than in the Yellow Sea. ¶5. (C) Given that North-South relations are much worse than they were in 2005-2006, Um said frankly he did not expect a quick release. STEPHENS