According to reports on Monday, the government is reportedly considering a maritime approach to repatriate six North Korean residents who were rescued after drifting into South Korean waters from the East Sea and the Yellow Sea.
Two North Korean residents were secured by the Coast Guard after entering waters south of the Northern Limit Line (NLL) on March 7, having drifted on a fishing boat in the Yellow Sea. While they have expressed a desire to return to North Korea, the repatriation process has been stalled due to North Korea’s refusal to engage in communication through inter-Korean channels.
In May, four more North Korean residents crossed the NLL into South Korean waters while drifting on a wooden boat in the East Sea. They, too, have stated their intention to return to North Korea and are awaiting repatriation.
While former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol had considered overland repatriation, the current government is reportedly exploring the option of repairing the boats the North Koreans arrived in and sending them back to North Korea. The repatriation could potentially occur as early as this week.
During a regular press briefing, Ministry of Unification spokesperson Koo Byeong Sam stated that all six North Korean residents rescued from the East Sea and the Yellow Sea have expressed a strong desire to return to North Korea. Furthermore, the government’s position is to repatriate them safely and promptly from a humanitarian standpoint.
While Koo did not specify whether the repatriation would occur by sea or land, he referenced past instances where North Korean residents were repatriated by sea when inter-Korean communication channels were non-operational.
Koo cited a specific example, saying that on May 27, 2017, it repatriated a fishing boat and its crew that had drifted from North Korea by towing the vessel back to the vicinity of the East Sea NLL four days later. He noted that at that time, North Korea also did not respond to South Korea’s repatriation proposal, leading to a maritime repatriation.
Regarding the timing of the repatriation, Koo explained that various schedules may not have been finalized yet, as several agencies are involved, and a complete agreement may not have been reached.
The South Korean government has attempted to communicate with North Korea through both inter-Korean channels and the direct hotline, known as the “pink phone,” between the United Nations Command and the North Korean military. However, North Korea has remained unresponsive. The two North Korean residents rescued from the Yellow Sea have now been in South Korea for 123 days, marking the longest period for North Koreans wishing to return while staying in the South.