Russian ship held in North Korea heads home

A Russian cargo ship held by North Korean authorities at the weekend for illegally entering the peninsular republic's territorial waters during a storm was released on Wednesday, Russian rescue services said.

The cargo ship Lidia Demesh was carrying 150 used Japanese automobiles to Vladivostok when stormy weather in the Sea of Japan on Saturday forced it into North Korea's waters, where coastguards boarded the vessel and steered it into port.

Vladivostok's naval rescue coordination centre said all issues with North Korea's authorities were resolved and the Lidia Demesh should arrive at the Russian port on Thursday morning.