Japan and South Korea reached an accord Thursday to end a 33-hour standoff over control of a South Korean fishing boat suspected of poaching in Japan's exclusive economic zone, the Japan Coast Guard said.
Japan agreed to hand over the boat and its skipper to the South Korean authorities on condition that the captain submits a written confession admitting he refused to allow a JCG inspection and that he promises to pay a fine if he is found guilty, the JCG said.
The Japan Coast Guard questioned the skipper about the incident on a South Korean Coast Guard vessel, and the captain submitted a letter of guarantee to pay a deposit of 500,000 yen to Japanese authorities after admitting he refused the inspection, according to the JCG.