North Korean Ship Seizes 3 Chinese Boats, Global Times Says

A North Korean ship seized three Chinese boats with 29 fishermen aboard and demanded more than $140,000 to release them, China’s Global Times newspaper reported today.

The fishing boats were captured at gunpoint while trawling in Chinese waters on May 8, the newspaper said, citing an owner of one of the boats, identified as Zhang Dechang. He said the captors were demanding 300,000 yuan ($47,500) to release each vessel.