S. Korea repatriates six N. Korean fishermen who drifted across maritime border
South Korea has returned six North Korean fishermen who were rescued earlier this year after unintentionally crossing into southern waters, according to Seoul’s Ministry of Unification.
The group, rescued in two separate incidents in March and May from the Yellow Sea and East Sea respectively, reportedly expressed a consistent desire to return home. They were sent back via the East Sea aboard a wooden vessel, News.Az reports, citing DW.
“All six were repatriated together with full consent,” the ministry said, stressing the decision was voluntary.
However, the move has sparked concern among human rights activists. Peter Jung of the Seoul-based NGO Justice for North Korea questioned whether the fishermen’s intent to return was independently verified, suggesting the involvement of UN agencies would have ensured transparency.
The repatriation comes amid President Lee Jae Myung’s softer stance on inter-Korean relations, including a recent order to halt propaganda loudspeakers along the border in hopes of fostering dialogue with Pyongyang.
Despite rare crossings through the Demilitarized Zone, tens of thousands of North Koreans have defected to the South since the Korean War. The peninsula remains technically at war, as no peace treaty has ever been signed.
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