South Korea to ‘promptly’ repatriate 6 North Koreans

By Anadolu staff

ANKARA (AA) - South Korea on Monday reaffirmed its intent to "safely" and "promptly" repatriate six North Koreans rescued from the inter-Korean maritime border, Seoul-based Yonhap News reported.

The six North Korean nationals were rescued from the East Sea and Yellow Sea this year.

Seoul's Unification Ministry said the rescued people "actively" wish to return to North Korea, and the government's stance is that "it will promptly and safely send them back from a humanitarian perspective."

The ministry did not provide further details.

In May, South Korea rescued four North Koreans who were adrift on the former's side of the East Sea, following a similar case in March where two North Koreans were rescued in the Yellow Sea.

Seoul has reportedly notified North Korea via the US-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 archrivals were suspended, Seoul unilaterally repatriated six fishermen rescued on the South Korean side of the sea.

*Writing by Aamir Latif