Quick access to main page (top) Direct access to main contents Quick access to main page (bottom)

North Korean Defectors’ Strange Actions Baffle South Korean Fishermen

wikitree Views  

The ship was completely different
North Korean woman: “South Korean ships are really nice.”

On the 24th, four North Korean residents were discovered by our fishermen in the sea off Sokcho after descending below the Northern Limit Line (NLL) in the East Sea on a small wooden boat. In the afternoon, military authorities tow the small wooden boat to Gisamun Harbor in Yangyang County. / Yonhap News

“When they asked ‘Where is this?’, I replied ‘Sokcho, Gangwon Province.’ They just suddenly climbed onto our boat without saying anything about docking. I thought to myself, ‘Who does that?’.”

Fishermen who discovered the small wooden boat carrying four North Korean residents early in the morning on the 24th said, “We’ve never seen a boat like this in Korea,” and “Everything was different from our fishing boats.”

Combining the stories of the Coast Guard and the fishermen, the initial report was made around 7:10 a.m. from a fishing boat located quite a distance from the wooden boat.

Fisherman A, fishing then, reported to the Coast Guard, “There is a strange boat.”

A said, “I had a hunch when it was dark, but I reported it when the sun rose and it became clear. Everything was different from our boats.”

The second report was made about 5 to 10 minutes later by Lim Jae-gil (60), who was fishing alone on another boat near the wooden boat.

Lim described the situation, “While working around 7:15 to 7:20, I saw a strange boat. I was curious because I had never seen such a boat in Korea, so I approached it. It seemed like they were also coming towards me.”

After confirming that the boat was from North Korea, Lim reported the fact to the Sokcho Fishing Boat Safety Operation Center via radio and requested action.

The first thing the man on the wooden boat said to Lim was, “Where is this?”

When Lim replied, “Sokcho, Gangwon Province,” the North Korean man tied the two boats together with a rope and returned to his boat to smoke a cigarette.

Internally thinking, ‘Who does that?’, Lim handed the man a bottle of water and cigarettes. “When I asked, ‘Did you come from the North?’, he didn’t understand. When I asked again, ‘Did you come from North Korea?’ he nodded.”

Just then, a military surveillance aircraft was circling over the wooden boat. Seeing the man looking anxious and constantly at the aircraft, Lim reassured him, saying, “It’s okay. The Coast Guard will be here soon.”

In response to Lim’s question, “When did you get on?” the North Korean man replied, “We got on this morning.”

Lim recalled, “The man was not very talkative. They were whispering among themselves, but they didn’t try to have a big conversation with me. So I just told them they did well to come and that they can live well in Korea.”

Following the advice of the Sokcho Fishing Boat Safety Operation Center to ‘untie the rope and keep a distance just in case’ as the two tied boats were ‘bumping’ into each other, Lim said, “We’re not going anywhere, so let’s untie the rope and float the boats side by side.”

About 20 to 30 minutes after the discovery, the Coast Guard arrived at the scene.

The residents Lim found on the wooden boat were a man, a woman in their 30s, and a woman in her 50s, a total of three people.

The man wore work clothes with oil stains and boots, while the women wore casual clothes. The younger woman wore clean white sneakers, and the older woman wore black shoes.

The man’s face looked salty from the waves. This was also why Lim offered him water and cigarettes, wondering, ‘How many days has he been on the boat?’.

Looking around Lim’s boat, the young woman also said, “Korean boats are really nice.”

Four people were on the wooden boat, and Lim, who later heard they were a family, said, “Judging by the fact that the older woman was repeatedly going in and out of the cabin, it seems there was a child inside.”

The North Korean residents did not express any intention of defecting to Lim.

Lim said, “I’ve been on a boat for over 40 years, but it didn’t look like a boat. I was so curious that I went to see it. It seemed like they had a helicopter engine attached.”

On the 24th, four North Korean residents were discovered by our fishermen in the sea off Sokcho after descending below the Northern Limit Line (NLL) in the East Sea on a small wooden boat. In the afternoon, military authorities tow the small wooden boat to Gisamun Harbor in Yangyang County. / Provided by Yonhap NewsTV

According to the military and the Coast Guard, a South Korean fishing boat discovered a North Korean small wooden boat around 7:10 a.m. about 11 km (approximately 6.8 miles) east of Sokcho.

The Sokcho Coast Guard, responding to a fisherman’s report of a ‘strange boat,’ confirmed that four North Korean residents, three women, and one man, were on a 7.5 m (approximately 24.6 feet) long wooden fishing boat and handed them over to the government’s joint intelligence investigation team.

The military, the National Intelligence Service, and related authorities plan to interrogate these individuals to determine their intention to defect jointly.

wikitree
content@www.kangnamtimes.com

Comments0

300

Comments0

[KOREA] Latest Stories

  • MrBeast Effect: How His Surprise Cameo Shakes Up YouTube
  • Rob Schneider's Stand-Up Scandal: Actor's Racially Insensitive Remarks Shock Politicians
  • FIFTY FIFTY: Second Phase and Comeback in the Works
  • Seoul City Threatens to Cut Power to Controversial Adult Video Festival
  • 'City Fisherman' Season 5 Wraps Up with Thrilling Final Showdown
  • Genesis Magma Division Sets New Standards in Performance

Weekly Best Articles

  • California Police Frustrated by Tesla Model 3: Too Cramped, Not Practical
  • Trump vs. Harris: Which U.S. Election Outcome Will Boost Stocks the Most?
  • Kim Sejeong on Kiss Scene Prep: ‘It’s Like Laying the Foundation for a Building!’
  • Kim Tae Ri’s Character Faces Devastating Setback in ‘Jeongnyeon: The Star is Born’
  • Lee Seung Gi Goes Bald! Shocking Change for His Role in ‘About Family’
  • Man Who Sponsored $1.2M to Streamer Juice Se Yeon Says She Blocked Him After Scandals
  • BTS Music Video Star and Tattoo Model Kim Woo Young Remembered 6 Years Later
  • Outback’s Last Ride: Subaru Launches 30th Anniversary Edition with Exclusive Features
  • Chrysler’s 2025 SUV: A Glimpse into the Future of Electric Vehicles
  • Fiat’s ‘Ugliest Car’ Makes a Comeback with Hyundai’s Pixel Design Twist
  • THIS is the Country Jensen Huang Thinks Will Lead the AI Revolution
  • Volkswagen Shutting Down German Plant for the First Time Ever—Big Layoffs Expected

You May Also Like

  • 1
    Kim Nam Gil Spills Secrets About The Fiery Priest 2—Why Fans Should Be Excited

    ENTERTAINMENT 

  • 2
    Google's Tax Tricks: How They Pay Pennies on Billions in Korean Revenue

    BUSINESS 

  • 3
    BJ Juice Se Yeon Deletes ‘Suspicious’ Photo with Kim Haon—Fans Speculate Romance

    ENTERTAINMENT 

  • 4
    G-Dragon’s Secret Addiction? The K-pop Star Can’t Stop Watching Dating Shows

    ENTERTAINMENT 

  • 5
    Chef Triple Star Shows Up at Event Despite Explosive Cheating and Embezzlement Claims

    ENTERTAINMENT 

Popular Now

  • 1
    Jaehyun Joins the Military—Here’s What Happens to His Career While He’s Away

    ENTERTAINMENT 

  • 2
    BMW M3 to Feature 600 HP Mild Hybrid Powertrain—No Plug-in Hybrid Here!

    TECH 

  • 3
    Subaru BRZ Purple Edition: Only 500 Units Available in North America for $35,445

    TECH 

  • 4
    Brazil’s Beloved Nivus Gets a Facelift: New GTS Model Starts at $24,480

    TECH 

  • 5
    Tesla’s Roadster Returns: 621 Miles on One Charge and Insane Speed

    TECH 

Weekly Best Articles

  • California Police Frustrated by Tesla Model 3: Too Cramped, Not Practical
  • Trump vs. Harris: Which U.S. Election Outcome Will Boost Stocks the Most?
  • Kim Sejeong on Kiss Scene Prep: ‘It’s Like Laying the Foundation for a Building!’
  • Kim Tae Ri’s Character Faces Devastating Setback in ‘Jeongnyeon: The Star is Born’
  • Lee Seung Gi Goes Bald! Shocking Change for His Role in ‘About Family’
  • Man Who Sponsored $1.2M to Streamer Juice Se Yeon Says She Blocked Him After Scandals
  • BTS Music Video Star and Tattoo Model Kim Woo Young Remembered 6 Years Later
  • Outback’s Last Ride: Subaru Launches 30th Anniversary Edition with Exclusive Features
  • Chrysler’s 2025 SUV: A Glimpse into the Future of Electric Vehicles
  • Fiat’s ‘Ugliest Car’ Makes a Comeback with Hyundai’s Pixel Design Twist
  • THIS is the Country Jensen Huang Thinks Will Lead the AI Revolution
  • Volkswagen Shutting Down German Plant for the First Time Ever—Big Layoffs Expected

Must-Reads

  • 1
    Kim Nam Gil Spills Secrets About The Fiery Priest 2—Why Fans Should Be Excited

    ENTERTAINMENT 

  • 2
    Google's Tax Tricks: How They Pay Pennies on Billions in Korean Revenue

    BUSINESS 

  • 3
    BJ Juice Se Yeon Deletes ‘Suspicious’ Photo with Kim Haon—Fans Speculate Romance

    ENTERTAINMENT 

  • 4
    G-Dragon’s Secret Addiction? The K-pop Star Can’t Stop Watching Dating Shows

    ENTERTAINMENT 

  • 5
    Chef Triple Star Shows Up at Event Despite Explosive Cheating and Embezzlement Claims

    ENTERTAINMENT 

Popular Now

  • 1
    Jaehyun Joins the Military—Here’s What Happens to His Career While He’s Away

    ENTERTAINMENT 

  • 2
    BMW M3 to Feature 600 HP Mild Hybrid Powertrain—No Plug-in Hybrid Here!

    TECH 

  • 3
    Subaru BRZ Purple Edition: Only 500 Units Available in North America for $35,445

    TECH 

  • 4
    Brazil’s Beloved Nivus Gets a Facelift: New GTS Model Starts at $24,480

    TECH 

  • 5
    Tesla’s Roadster Returns: 621 Miles on One Charge and Insane Speed

    TECH 

Share it on...