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DPRK cargo docks in S.Korea after clash

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-11-16 21:43

SEOUL: A cargo ship from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) on Monday docked at a South Korean port, according to local media.

The Kumpit, the first DPRK ship came across the Yellow Sea since the naval skirmish took place last Tuesday, arrived in Incheon Port on Saturday, Incheon Port Authority (IPA) was quoted as saying.

Related readings:  DPRK warns S Korea to pay dearly for naval clash  S Korea, DPRK clash in naval coast off west coast: Yonhap

The ship, which left the DPRK's Geumsa Port on Thursday, has been on stand-by and was docked at the wharf at around 8:35 a.m. Monday, IPA said, adding that it unloading 1,765 tons of silica sand Monday morning, and departed for the DPRK at around 6:00 p.m. the same day.

Geumbit, which docked at Incheon Port twice this month alone, along with other two DPRK cargo ships, have regularly brought in silica sand on orders from local construction firms for two consecutive months, IPA said.

Tensions rose after the two countries' naval boats exchanged fire off west coast of the Korean Peninsula near the Northern Limit Line (NLL) area last Tuesday morning, but no casualties were reported. The two sides blamed each other for the clash.

Pyongyang has not accepted the NLL which was fixed unilaterally by the US-led United Nations Command after the Korean War (1950- 1953), but Seoul holds the NLL as the de-facto western inter- Korean border.