Japan Bars N. Korean Ship From Leaving

A North Korean ferry was stuck in a Japanese port Tuesday after it failed safety inspections imposed as part of a global crackdown on alleged smuggling of drugs and weapons by the communist state.

Japanese officials gathered more than 100 inspectors from three different ministries to comb the passenger ferry bow to stern.

The Mangyongbong-92 was cited for five violations. Authorities said the ship, scheduled to return to North Korea from this northern Japanese port on Tuesday morning, could not sail until the problems are fixed.

"I can't say for sure, but I think it is probably going to be late," the regional transportation authority chief, Ryoichi Sonoda, told reporters while outlining the violations.

http://abcnews.go.com/wire/World/ap20030825_2037.html

This could be considered an act of aggression by N. Korea...and then what do we do to help Japan?