The reported wreckage of the Dmitrii Donskoi and an undated photo of the Russian ship. / Courtesy of Shinil Group |
By Park Si-soo
South Korean treasure-hunting company Shinil Group will host an international press conference in Seoul on July 26 over its recent discovery of the Russian "gold ship" Dmitrii Donskoi.
The company fixed the date in a notice posted on its website (http://donskoi.kr/main/main.php) on July 19. The location was not included.
"We will unveil things that will surprise the world in the July 26 international press conference in Seoul," the post said. "Everything is unfolding smoothly. We will make our dream comes true."
Shinil said it had signed a contract with China's salvage company Yantai Salvage to hoist the wreckage found off Ulleung Island.
The Korea Times contacted the company for more details, but there was no response.
The company made headlines at home and abroad early last week when it announced it had found the wreck of the Dmitrii Donskoi, which sank in 1905.
The ship, used during the Russo-Japanese War, is said to have been carrying tons of gold. Rumors say the vessel carrying 5,500 boxes of gold coins and bars that would now be worth 150 trillion won ($133.4 billion).
But there are also voices calling the discovery "a total fraud."