North Korea Frees Fishermen
SEOUL –North Korea freed four South Korean fishermen and their boat on Saturday, an official said, the latest in a string of goodwill gestures that indicate Pyongyang’s desire to patch up relations with Seoul.
North Korean authorities handed over the fishermen and their boat to Coast Guard officials at the Koreas’ shared eastern border, said Kim Tae-jong, a Coast Guard spokesman at the eastern port of Sokcho, 130 miles east of Seoul.
Pyongyang held the four South Koreans for a month after their boat strayed into northern waters on July 30. Maritime officials say the fishermen encountered difficulties with their satellite navigation system.
The fishermen were expected to arrive in Sokcho later Saturday, Mr. Kim said.
“The fishermen appeared to have no health proble