North Korean border guards detained the Russian fishing seiner Xianghailin-8 approximately 55 nautical miles from North Korean territory.
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This happened on the morning of July 17 2019.
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The reason for the arrest was an allegedly illegal crossing of the border of the so-called military security zone, which North Korea established 50 nautical miles from the coast.
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No international documents indicate the possibility of creating such a zone; there is only the concept of territorial waters.
12 nautical miles from the coast
and an exclusive economic zone.
200 nautical miles from the coast
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The ship was without cargo at the time of detention.
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The border service turned off all communications on the ship and escorted it to the port of Wonsan.
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At that moment there were 17 sailors on board - 15 Russians and two citizens of South Korea.
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For a week there was no contact with them.
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A representative of the Russian embassy in Pyongyang managed to visit the ship only on July 23.
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The captain of the ship, his first mate, and two South Korean sailors were placed in a hotel, while the rest of the fishermen were left on the ship.
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Crew members were prohibited from leaving the seiner, which had no ventilation, so it was very stuffy and hot there: the temperature was at +30-35 °C.
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On the tenth day the sailors started to run out of water, and Russia managed to have water delivered on board.
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A representative of the North Korean diplomatic mission in Moscow noted that the ship was sailing under the South Korean flag and the captain had already admitted the fact of violating territorial waters.
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The Russian Foreign Ministry said it was doing everything possible to “resolve the situation”.
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The vessel was released on July 27.
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The next day it arrived at the South Korean port of Sokcho, where two fishermen from South Korea were expected to disembark.
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South Korea called the North Korean actions of releasing the ship "positive from a humanitarian point of view".
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Warning: these questons and answers are not all representative of the way questions will be asked and answered in the pilot, because some questions are compound and some answers do not include citations.

Q: What ship did North Korean border guards detain approximately 55 nautical miles from North Korean territory?
A: The Russian fishing seiner Xianghailin-8

Q: When did North Korean border guards detain the Russian fishing seiner Xianghailin-8 approximately 55 nautical miles from North Korean territory?
A: On the morning of July 17 2019A: On July 17 2019A: In July 2019 

Q: What was the reason for the arrest of the ship, according to North Korea?
A: An illegal crossing of the border of the military security zone

Q: How far from the coast did North Korea establish the military security zone?
A: 50 nautical miles

Q: How far from the coast are territorial waters, according to international law?
A: 12 nautical miles

Q: How far from the coast is the exclusive economic zone, according to international law?
A: 200 nautical miles

Q: What did the border service do after they arrested the ship?
A: They turned off all communications on the ship

Q: What did the border service do after they arrested the ship?
A: They escorted it to the port of Wonsan

Q: How many sailors were on board at the time of the arrest?
A: 17

Q: How many sailors on board were Russian citizens?
A: 15

Q: How many sailors on board were South Korean Citizens?
A: 2

Q: How long was there no contact with the sailors?
A: For a week 

Q: When did a representative of the Russian embassy in Pyongyang manage to visit the ship?
A: On July 23A: On July 23 2019

Q: Where did the captain of the ship, his first mate, and two South Korean sailors stay after the ship was detained?
A: At a hotel

Q: What flag was the Russian ship sailing under?
A: The South Korean flag

Q: What violation did the Russian ship’s captain admit to?
A: To violating territorial waters

Q: How did the Russian Foreign Ministry comment on the ship’s arrest?
A: It said it was doing everything possible to resolve the situation

Q: When was the Russian ship released?
A: On July 27A: On July 27 2019 

Q: Why did the Russian ship go to the South Korean port of Sokcho after it was released?
A: The two fishermen from South Korea were expected to disembark there

Q: What did South Korea call the North Korean actions of releasing the ship?
A: Positive from a humanitarian point of view