Seoul - North Korea said Monday it would release a South Korean boat seized last month for alleged illegal fishing, in an apparently conciliatory gesture after months of high tensions.

The North's navy detained the squid fishing boat and its seven crew as well as four South Koreans and three Chinese, on August 8 off the east coast of the divided peninsula.

It said the Daeseung 55 was operating in its exclusive economic zone.

The South's unification ministry said the North would return the 41-tonne boat and its crew Tuesday afternoon across the east coast sea border.