N.KOREAN VESSEL REPORT

[Anchor Lead]

The South Korean government has announced the results of its probe into the North Korean boat, that entered a South Korean port 18 days ago. The report said that two of the North Koreans in the boat sailed 700 kilometers in order to defect from the North. One of them testified that he attempted defection in the past, but was apprehended by the North Korean authorities and put in jail.

[Pkg]

The North Korean boat departed from Jipsam Port in Kyongsong-gun County, Hamkyongbuk-do Province at midnight on June 9. It was six days before it arrived in Samcheok Port in South Korea. Two of the four people in the boat embarked on this journey with the purpose of defecting from the North. The South Korean government has announced in its report that the captain of the boat wanted to escape from the North because of financial difficulties and family issues, while the other man attempted defection by land in the past, but was apprehended. The other two men were unaware of the duo's plans to defect. Loaded with 250 kilograms of fuel, the boat stayed in North Korean waters for two days to catch squid.

[Soundbite] CHOI BYUNG-HWAN(1ST VICE MINISTER, OFFICE FOR GOV'T POLICY COORDINATION) : "The men testified that they caught around 110 kg of squid and traded it with other boats for 60 kg of fuel, food and cash."

In the early hours of June 12 the boat began to sail southward, and crossed the Northern Limit Line in the wee hours of June 13. The four men were said to be at odds over whether to return to the North or defect to the South. But the other two ended up staying in the boat because the captain told them to walk on foot if they wanted to go back. On June 14, the boat was just 3.3 kilometers from Samcheok Port. It waited until daybreak in order to avoid clashing into rocks, and entered the port at 6:20 a.m. on June 15. The boat sailed 700 kilometers in six days. At the time of its discovery, the boat was found to have fishing nets, a fuel tank, a GPS device and even food.

[Soundbite] CHOI BYUNG-HWAN(1ST VICE MINISTER, OFFICE FOR GOV'T POLICY COORDINATION) : "They had a total of 49.3 kg of food supplies, including 39 kg of foodstuff and 10.3 kg of leftovers."

The North Koreans testified that their boat managed to stay clean because it was constantly washed with seawater and because the men did not fish much.