Those fishermen who were kidnapped off the coast of Somalia in April are finally being released:

"Negotiators (representing Dongwon) have already reached both verbal and written agreements with the Somali captors on their release. There has been no new development that could negatively affect the prior agreements," the official said.

Asked if the sailors were allowed to depart for international waters, the official said they are still at the port of Obbia.

"We put top priority on the safety of the sailors. As the procedures for their release have been completed, the sailors will soon depart for international waters in the Indian Ocean. Then Dongwon Fisheries will officially announce their release."
South Korea's Foreign Ministry has engaged in earnest diplomatic efforts to gain their release. The Somali abductors, known to be pirates, reportedly sought a huge ransom.

The Associated Press, AFP and other news agencies, confirming the imminent release of the sailors, reported that a ransom of about US$800,000 was paid for the freeing of all 25 crew members.

"The illegal fishermen who entered into the territorial waters of Somalia were released after they paid a fine of $800,000," Somali elder Abdi Ilmi told AFP from Haradere port.

"They could have been released early, but there was some dispute on the amount of ransom that was to be paid. The militiamen demanded a million dollars, but finally they agreed to $800,000," Ilmi added.

However, the program taken in Somalia by freelance program director Kim Young-mi showed a different situation from the government's announcement, under the title "Shocking Report! 100 Days Since a Kidnapping -- The Sorrows of Dongwon Fisheries Vessel Crew Detained in Somalia: Why Has the Motherland Abandoned Us?"

The program showed the crew, eight Koreans and 17 from other Asian countries, who were very skinny, in constant fear as they were guarded by armed kidnappers.

The program said the cause of their despair lay on the government's indifference. The government has not sent a single official to Somalia, and occasional negotiations have been conducted by Dongwon Fisheries, not the government, the report said.

The ministry had said the kidnappers could check Korean journalism reports on the Internet and take advantage of it for negotiation, but there was no computer in the village there, only three telephones, and only one person could speak English.

The government has blamed the kidnappers, saying they do not come up with reasonable conditions for the release of the fishermen due to internal disputes, and also claims that Dongwon Fisheries should directly talk with them and pay a ransom.

The program said the crew felt betrayed, and claimed the government has failed to even grasp the situation.

After the broadcast, people posted comments on Web sites of the program and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade denouncing the government's lukewarm attitude.

An Internet user named Kim Du-hwan said on the program's Web site that the Korean government was incapable and he was ashamed of being a Korean. "A female program director went to Somalia for three days, but what have all these government officials been doing?"

Another visitor to the Web site, with the ID sjman11, said, "When kidnapped, they were working, not having an overseas trip, but the government left them like that. I, as a South Korean, am anxious about going overseas. The government is irresponsible and incapable."