PLAYING NICE

N. Korea Frees S. Korean Fishermen

Latest in a string of suspiciously generous acts.

Are North Korea's recent charitable acts too good to be true? The historically unreasonable state on Saturday released four fishermen who had been held captive since July, when their boat drifted into the country's waters. "I am very pleased and it's beyond expression," the wife of the boat's captain told the Associated Press. This uncharacteristically generous act came on the heels of a joint announcement Friday that North and South Korea would continue to reunite families that have been divided—without mail, phone, or email exchanges—for more than 50 years, since the Korean War. And after weeks of improved relations on the continent. one North Korea expert told the Los Angeles Times that the moves signal a new diplomatic policy. "North Korea sees relations with South Korea in parallel with those with the United States," he said.