1.   The rebels then sank the gunboat with missiles, possibly fired from the ferry, or with a sea mine, the officials said.

2.   Five rebel gunboats were sunk, including three packed with explosives that the guerrillas tried to ram into the naval vessels.

3.   Last week, the two navies exchanged gunfire in disputed waters and one North Korean gunboat was sunk in one of the worst clashes in years.

4.   One North Korean gunboat was sunk and five others badly damaged.

5.   One North Korean gunboat was sunk and several others heavily damaged.

6.   One North Korean gunboat was sunk and several others heavily damaged in the clash.

7.   Since then, they also have sunk two gunboats with bombs and overrun several small military bases.

8.   Tamil rebels, fighting for an independent homeland in the north and east, have also shot down two war planes, sunk gunboats and attacked many military bases.

9.   The military said only four gunboats were sunk.

10.   The talks come amid rising tensions on the divided peninsula following a naval clash earlier this month in which a North Korean gunboat was sunk.