[Yonhap News Photo]
A Russian yacht has been released by North Korea two days after it was held apparently by mistake after participating in an international sailing competition in South Korea, Russia's media reported.
The Elfin yacht with five crew members on board was seized by a North Korean coast guard ship in the Sea of Japan (East Sea) on Friday, Tass said, adding it is now sailing for Russia's far eastern port of Vladivostok after leaving the North Korean port of Kimchaek.
Russia's ambassador to North Korea Alexander Matsegora was quoted as saying that Pyongyang has been asked to explain the reasons for detaining the yacht.
The vessel, belonging to the Primorye Sailing Association, was on the way from the South Korean port of Pusan to Vladivostok after an international regatta, Tass said.
Russia's consul general in the eastern port of Chongjin told Tass that the yacht was detained mistakenly after a North Korean fishing boat spotted an image it identified as South Korean on the yacht.
Aju News Lim Chang-won = cwlim34@ajunews.com
reporter
Park Sae-jin
swatchsjp@ajunews.com
