A North Korean male who had spent more than six years in South Korea as a defector stole a fishing vessel yesterday and returned to North Korea across the Northern Limit Line in the West Sea.
According to the South Korean military authorities, 28-year old Lee Hyuk Cheol, originally of Chongjin in North Hamkyung Province, took the 9t crab fishing vessel ‘Jinheung-3’ from Yeonpyeong Island early on the morning of the 3rd, crossing the NLL at 10:49AM. Lee had moved to Yeonpyeong Island two months previously, obtaining a job on the vessel in question.
The South Korean military picked up the stolen fishing vessel headed north on radar, but was unable to intercept it before it crossed the NLL. The vessel’s captain also called Lee by cell phone to try and get him to return, but was verbally abused.
An investigation into the case is ongoing.
