The 35 crewmen of the North Korean ship detained in Panama are not set to be released, a Panama prosecutor said on Wednesday.

Despite reports earlier that day that all but the most senior North Koreans on the ship would remain in custody, Organised Crime prosecutor Nahaniel Murgas changed his story, saying that only the ship could be released, but only when the DPRK pays a $1 million fine for arms smuggling.

The fine was levied by the Panama Canal Zone for threatening the security of the canal by not declaring that it was carrying weapons.

Tomas Cabal, an official with the Panama foreign ministry,