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3 rescued N. Korean fishermen want to stay in S. Korea, 2 others to be repatriated: ministry

July 7, 2015

SEOUL, July 7 (Yonhap) — Three North Korean sailors, rescued in South Korean waters, have expressed their wishes to defect to South Korea, while two others want to return home, Seoul’s unification ministry said Tuesday.

According to the ministry, the North Korean sailors were rescued by South Korea’s Coast Guard on Saturday while drifting on a vessel near the eastern island of Ulleung.

South Korea has sent a notice to the North saying that the two fishermen wishing to return home were scheduled to be repatriated through the border village of Panmumjom, but Pyongyang asked the Seoul government to send back all of them together.

The ministry said it has decided to deal with the three North Korean fishermen “in accordance with how past cases have been handled,” so they will stay here.

Despite tensions, the two Koreas have a practice of repatriating civilians who accidentally land in each other’s territory.

The move marks the third time this year that South Korea has repatriated North Korean sailors found in the South’s waters.

Earlier this month, South Korea returned home five North Korean fishermen who were drifting in the East Sea following the repatriation of two North Korean fishermen in February.

Also, a North Korean soldier defected to the South early this month through the demilitarized zone (DMZ) separating the two Koreas.