South Korea has again sent a telephone message to North Korea urging it to release the South Korean fishing boat and crew it seized earlier this month in the East Sea.

Unification Ministry spokeswoman Lee Jong-joo told a news briefing that the message, conveyed by the Red Cross on Friday, called for the release of the seven crew members on humanitarian grounds and in line with international practices.

On Thursday, North Korea confirmed that it was holding the ship for questioning, claiming that the “Daeseung” trespassed into its exclusive economic zone.

The 41-ton boat carrying four South Koreans and three Chinese was seized by the North on August eighth while fishing for squid.