DATE=6/11/99 TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-250505 TITLE=KOREAN / SHIPS (L) BYLINE=JOHN LARKIN DATELINE=SEOUL CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: NORTH KOREAN WARSHIPS WERE NUDGED BY SOUTH KOREAN NAVY VESSELS BACK INTO THEIR OWN TERRITORIAL WATERS ON FRIDAY, AS A TENSE STANDOFF IN THE YELLOW SEA ENTERED ITS FOURTH DAY. JOHN LARKIN REPORTS FROM SEOUL ON THE SEA-BORDER CLASH. TEXT : FOUR HIGH-SPEED PATROL BOATS FROM SOUTH KOREA DELIBERATELY BUMPED INTO THREE NORTH KOREAN NAVY SHIPS, IN AN ATTEMPT TO INTIMIDATE THEM INTO RETURNING HOME. NO SHOTS WERE FIRED, ALTHOUGH DEFENSE MINISTRY OFFICIALS SAID BOTH SIDES MANNED THEIR GUNS DURING THE INCIDENT. THEY SAID THREE NORTH KOREAN SHIPS WERE DAMAGED AND RETURNED HOME, ALONG WITH THREE UNDAMAGED VESSELS. ONE SOUTH KOREAN SHIP WAS ALSO DAMAGED. SINCE TUESDAY, NORTH KOREAN VESSELS HAVE SAILED ACROSS THE WESTERN SEA BORDER INTO A NARROW BUFFER ZONE CONTROLLED BY SOUTH KOREA. THEY HAVE RETURNED HOME EACH NIGHT. THE COMMUNIST NATION'S SHIPS HAVE BEEN ESCORTING ABOUT A DOZEN FISHING VESSELS INTO THE ZONE, WHICH IS A RICH CRAB-FISHING AREA. ON FRIDAY, SOUTH KOREA'S DEFENSE MINISTER CHO SEONG-TAE DECIDED TO ADOPT A TOUGH STRATEGY, AFTER REPEATED WARNINGS FAILED TO DETER THE NORTH KOREANS. AFTER CONVENING EMERGENCY MEETINGS WITH TOP AIDES AND GENERAL JOHN TILELLI -- THE COMMANDER OF U-S FORCES IN SOUTH KOREA -- HE SENT IN WARSHIPS TO BULLY THEIR NORTH KOREAN CRAFT BACK OVER THE LINE. SOUTH KOREA ALSO BEGAN MASSING DESTROYERS AND OTHER COMBAT VESSELS TO FURTHER INTIMIDATE THE NORTH KOREANS. WHILE NORTH KOREAN SHIPS ROUTINELY INFILTRATE THE AREA, IT IS UNUSUAL FOR THEM TO STAY, IN DEFIANCE OF THREATS OF RETALIATION FROM SEOUL. THE CONFRONTATION IS THE FIRST BETWEEN THE OPPOSING NAVIES FOR SOME TIME. THE NORTH HAS CONTESTED THE SEA BORDER SINCE THE 1970'S. (SIGNED) NEB/JL/FC 11-Jun-99 3:47 AM EDT (0747 UTC) NNNN Source: Voice of America .
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