23 Sep 2019 13:01

Russian, N. Korean diplomats discuss prevention of incidents similar to recent one in Sea of Japan

MOSCOW. Sept 23 (Interfax) - Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Igor Morgulov and North Korean Charge d'Affaires a. i. in Russia Zin Jong Hep discussed on Monday the detention of North Korean poaching ships in the Sea of Japan.

"The meeting addressed the incident involving the detention of North Korean vessels that were illegally fishing in Russia's territorial waters in the Sea of Japan. The sides discussed a set of measures which must be taken to prevent similar incidents from happening in the future," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement posted on its website.

According to the Russian Investigative Committee, North Korean fishing ships were seen poaching marine bio-resources in the Russian exclusive economic zone of the Sea of Japan on the evening of September 17.

"The North Korean poachers fiercely resisted actions of the inspection team of the Federal Security Service's border department in the Primorye territory, and four officers sustained injuries of various degrees of severity, including one who suffered gunshot wounds, as a result," the press service of the Russian Investigative Committee said.

The injured are in a hospital in Vladivostok. Their condition is stable.

It was reported later that one of the North Korean poachers who attacked Russian border guards died.

The Far Eastern transport investigative department of the Russian Investigative Committee is holding a criminal inquiry on counts of attempt on the life of a law enforcement officer.