Captured NK vessel

A North Korean fishing boat captured by the South Korean Navy is seen at a South Korean naval base on Yeonpyeong Island Tuesday. The vessel carrying 31 North Koreans Saturday crossed the Northern Limit Line, the de facto inter-Korean maritime border in the Yellow Sea. The five-ton wooden ship normally carries around 10 crew members and sails at under 10 knots. According to North Korean defectors, the North bans ships capable of sailing at a high speed from operating to prevent people from escaping. In addition, North Koreans prefer vessels made of wood over those made of steel because the latter are vulnerable to corrosion and are more expensive.