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South Korea, Japan end high seas showdown
(Agencies)
Updated: 2005-06-02 15:41

South Korea and Japan reached a deal on Thursday to end a two-day, high seas standoff where coast guard vessels from both countries had lashed themselves to a wayward South Korean trawler.

The showdown involving 13 South Korean and Japanese vessels off the east coast of South Korea was the latest incident in a string of rows that have soured Seoul-Tokyo ties in recent months.

Japan Coast Guard patrol vessels (L, 2nd L) and a South Korean coast guard boat (R) halt a South Korean fishing boat in the Sea of Japan off Tsushima Island, southwestern Japan June 1, 2005. [Reuters]

Under the deal, the trawler's skipper will issue a statement saying his boat violated Japan's maritime economic exclusion zone, did not respond to questioning and fled the scene, a South Korean Foreign Ministry official said.

In exchange, a Japanese coast guard vessel tied to the trawler will release itself and other Japanese coast guard ships will withdraw from the scene. The trawler's skipper will provide a bond to Tokyo of 500,000 yen ($4,601) and Seoul promises it will take proper legal procedures, he said.

"If the skipper illegally fished in Japanese waters, South Korea will investigate and bring him to justice," the official said, adding he thinks the outcome was "positive and respected the wishes of both countries."

Japanese officials said the fishing boat had entered Japanese waters in its economic exclusion zone, was intercepted by its coast guard vessels and then two coast guard officers boarded the South Korean trawler.

South Korea retorted that the Japanese coast guard members had assaulted some of the eight crew members aboard the fishing boat.

STANDOFF

In the resulting standoff in the predawn hours of Wednesday, 13 South Korean and Japanese coast guard vessels had packed themselves in a tight group around the trawler.

One Japanese coast guard vessel tied itself to one side of the fishing boat named Shinpung-ho, while a South Korean coast guard vessel tied itself to the other side of the trawler.

The incident came at a time of increased diplomatic tensions between Seoul and Tokyo. In recent months relations have been affected by a territorial fight over islands claimed by both, comments from a top Japanese diplomat about South Korea that Seoul called rude and history textbooks approved by Japan that critics say whitewash Japanese militarism.

A Japanese Coast Guard spokesman said the two Japanese who boarded the South Korean vessel broke the windows and door of the boat and had met "strong resistance" from South Korean fishermen.

The fishing boat had then fled with the two Japanese aboard, and came to halt a few hours later when it was in South Korean waters and protected by South Korean coast guard ships.

The Japanese crew members were returned at that point in an area about 27 km (17 miles) east of South Korea in the South's maritime economic exclusion zone, maritime officials said.

On Wednesday, South Korea's foreign minister said relations between the two neighbors were already strained by comments from a top Japanese diplomat, who reportedly told South Korean lawmakers last month that Washington had trouble trusting Seoul.

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