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Seoul reaffirms intent to promptly repatriate 6 North Koreans rescued at sea

Published: 07 Jul. 2025, 13:18

A wooden boat is towed by a South Korean military vessel in the East Sea in this photo from Oct. 24, 2023. [YONHAP]

The Ministry of Unification on Monday reaffirmed its intent to safely and promptly repatriate six North Koreans rescued from the southern side of the inter-Korean maritime border.

"As the six North Korean nationals, rescued from the East and Yellow Sea, actively wish to return to the North, the government's stance is that it will promptly and safely send them back from a humanitarian perspective," ministry spokesperson Koo Byoung-sam said at a briefing, without providing further details.

The remarks came in response to a local newspaper's report that Seoul is planning to repatriate the six North Koreans currently staying in the South as early as this week.

In May, four North Koreans were rescued as they floated adrift on the South Korean side of the East Sea, following a similar case in March where two North Koreans were rescued in the Yellow Sea.

The report said the South Korean government has notified the North via the U.S.-led UN Command of a repatriation schedule and other details, and plans to carry out the repatriation regardless of whether Pyongyang responds.

In May 2017, while communication lines between the two Koreas were severed, South Korea unilaterally repatriated six fishers rescued on the South Korean side of the sea, after repairing their boat and putting them aboard.

Yonhap