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HU0R8.D HEUI5)
Alleged mission to destroy major'State facilities
South Korea sinks armed North boat
SEOUL. Sunday (Rcutcr). — South Ko
rea said today it had sunk an armed North
Korean boat in a clash ofT the south-eastern
port of Pusan.
General Chung Jin-kwon, chairman of
the Joint Chiefs of Start", said the boat was
sunk in a joint air, ground and sea operation
after a three-hour chase. He did not men
tion the fate of the North Korean crew.
No casualties were reported from south
crn forces, but a naval vessel suffered minor
damage when the northern boat opened fire.
The general, who is also head of the
Defence Ministry's Counter-Espionage
Operations Headquarters, said the boat's
mission was believed to be the infiltration
of armed agents to destroy major State
facilities and spy on political, social and
military affairs in the South.
The announcement came a day after the
communist North returned 12 South Kore
an fishermen and their vessel which was
seized ofT the west coast on October 6.
It also came at a time when the two
Koreas, enemies sincc their 1950-1953 war,
are actively engaged in trade, Red Cross,
Parliamentary and sports talks.
General Chung said that the northern
ship was first spotted at about 20 kilometres
northeast of Pusan.
South Korean warships ordered the boat
to stop, but it had opened fire and tried to
flee north under the cover of darkness, he
said. It was later sunk with the help of air
force planes.
The general said the southern forces
retrieved about 10 items from the sea,
including frogmen's suits, radar parts and
military maps.
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