Two Burmese journalists working for the Japanese television news agency Nippon News Network (NNN) were released early last night after two nights and three days in detention. They were detained for covering the arrival of a North Korean ship supposedly carrying armaments to Burma.

Aung Shwe Oo and his daughter Sint Sint Aung, both journalists with NNN's Bangkok bureau were arrested on May 21 by Burmese naval security after they reported the arrival of a North Korean cargo ship, Kang Nam I which docked secretly at the Thilawa port, 30 kilometers (20 miles) south of Rangoon.

They were released by the Rangoon division police force.

Sources close to the Thilawa Port said their approaching the ship could be the reason for their detention. Other foreign correspondents also covered the arrival of the North Korean ship which supposedly carried weapons and ammunition from one authoritarian regime to another.

The Paris based media watchdog Reporters Without Borders and the Burma Media Association condemned the detention saying that it is a violation of international rules protecting accredited correspondents.

In February, two Burmese correspondents working for Japanese news agencies along with a local journalist of a monthly publication were detained for a few days for covering a demonstration against the military government in Rangoon.