The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) has released four South Korean fishermen, Yonhap news agency reported Saturday.

The four fishermen had arrived at the de facto inter-Korean maritime border, said Yonhap, quoting a police source.

The DPRK announced it would release the four fishermen on Friday, hours after the two Koreas agreed to hold a new round of reunions next month for families separated by the Korean War -- the first in nearly two years.

The four fishermen and their boat were detained July 30 after crossing about 11km into waters off the DPRK's east coast due to a faulty navigation system.

The DPRK had accused the fishermen of "illegally intruding" into its territorial waters.

(Xinhua News Agency August 29, 2009)