Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

DATE=12/27/01

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

NUMBER=2-284653

TITLE=JAPAN/SPY SHIP

BYLINE=STEVE HERMAN

DATELINE=TOKYO

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO: North Korea and Japan have exchanged words about the gun battle in the East China Sea late last week and the sinking of a suspected North Korean spy ship. Steve Herman has the latest from Tokyo.

TEXT: After ignoring the incident for days, Pyongyang has lashed out at Japan over the sinking of the unidentified ship and Tokyo's statements that it probably was a North Korean spy ship.

The comments came through Pyongyang's Korea Central News Agency and its short-wave broadcaster, Voice of Korea.

/// VOICE OF KOREA ACTUALITY ///

The state broadcaster and the wire service blasted Japan, saying it indiscriminately machine-gunned an unidentified ship in the East China Sea, sinking it.

North Korea called Japan's action a crime that was committed by what it termed a modern brand of samurai terrorists.

Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, who has called the Coast Guard's firing on the 100-ton ship a "legitimate act of self-defense", seemed at an uncharacteristic loss for words when commenting on the statements from Pyongyang.

/// KOIZUMI ACT ///

The prime minister tells reporters he really doesn't know how to respond, but that he guesses that North Korea might say all kinds of things.

His chief government spokesman, Yasuo Fukuda, on Thursday was more outspoken.

/// FUKUDA ACT ///

Mr. Fukuda questions whether such phrases as "brutal piracy" and references to terrorism, which North Korea used, are appropriate for discussing international concerns. He says such criticism expressed in a vulgar manner is inappropriate.

Japan's Coast Guard says a dozen patrol boats still search the area where the mystery ship went down.

The Coast Guard tried to stop the ship when it was found in Japanese waters Saturday. The ship fled, and fired at the Japanese patrol boats, which shot back. After a chase of several hours, the mystery ship sank, but it is not clear whether it sank because of damage done by the Japanese Coast Guard or whether the crew scuttled it. The Coast Guard says it has recovered two bodies and more than 100 pieces of debris from the ship, and that items found on the bodies bore Korean writing. (Signed)

NEB/HK/SH/KPD