"The talks that the Russian consul general to Chongjin is holding with local authorities in the North Korean port of Kimchaek on the release of the Russian ship Terney... are nearing completion. We have grounds to believe that soon the ship will be allowed to leave North Korea's territorial waters," Mikhail Troyansky said.
The Terney was returning to the Russian Pacific port of Vladivostok from the South Korean port of Busan when it encountered a heavy storm in the Sea of Japan December 5.
According to the ship's log, the captain changed course toward the North Korean coast after receiving permission from local authorities to enter the country's territorial waters. But North Korean authorities detained the Russian vessel regardless.
