The South Korean government has decided to repatriate six North Korean citizens who were rescued at sea near the inter-Korean maritime border. This was reported by the Yonhap news agency, reports News.bg.
President Lee Jae-myun ordered the repatriation to take place as quickly as possible and in complete safety, stressing that the case is entirely humanitarian in nature. The North Koreans are expected to be returned to their homeland as soon as possible.
Four of the rescued were found in May aboard a drifting ship in the South Korean part of the East Sea. Earlier, in March, two other North Koreans were rescued in the Yellow Sea. In both cases, the rescued people expressed their desire to return to North Korea voluntarily.
Regardless of whether Pyongyang gives an official response, Seoul intends to carry out the repatriation as early as this week, with the final date depending on weather conditions. The operation is being discussed as a sea operation.