South Korea fires warning shots then fixes drifting North Korean boat

 South Korea’s military fired warning shots toward a rth Korean boat crossing ir sea border n it sent a navy mechanic to repair drifting boat’s engine so it could go home, an official said Friday. Seoul’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said it was first time South fired warning shots toward a rth Korean vessel under government of President Moon Jae-in, who took office in May 2017 and has pursued diplomatic engment with rth. wooden boat with four crew members returned to rth on Thursday evening, hours after it h entered South Korean waters near western border island of Yeonpyeong. 

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“ act of hostility” 

Joint Chiefs of Staff official, speaking on condition of anymity because of office rules, said crewmembers were government workers who monitor activities of rth Korean fishing boats. Joint Chiefs of Staff said a South Korean naval vessel brocast a warning and fired 10 rounds of machinegun fire in waters near rth Korean boat after it came about 3 kilometres (1.8 miles) south of sea border. rth Koreans stopped ir boat and showed “ act of hostility” toward South Korean sailors approaching to examine vessel, official said. rth Koreans said engine and navigation problems caused ir vessel to drift and y asked to return to rth, Joint Chiefs of Staff said. 

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South Korean vessel h a problem in its fuel system

A South Korean navy mechanic went aboard vessel and fixed its engine after finding a problem in its fuel system. Officials from Joint Chiefs of Staff and Defense Ministry and navy couldn’t immediately confirm when South Korea’s military h last helped repair a rth Korea vessel that crossed into its waters. Joint Chiefs of Staff said fixing vessel was “obvious humanitarian choice” to make in situation. Koreas have h sporic and sometimes dely naval clashes in waters surrounding ir disputed western sea border during times of past high tensions.
A South Korean-led international investigation blamed rth Korea for sinking a 1,200-ton South Korean warship in March 2010, killing 46 sailors. rth denied attacking corvette, but bombed Yeonpyeong island in vember that year in retaliation for South Korean military exercises in area, leaving two marines and two civilians de.

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