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First Post
21 hours ago
- Politics
- First Post
In rare gesture, Seoul returns six North Koreans with 'strong desire' to go back
Four sailors who had drifted over the disputed maritime boundary came in May. The other two entered southern waters in March and remained for four months, the longest known stay for any non-defectors in the South read more South Korea has returned six North Koreans who accidentally crossed into its waters earlier this year, marking the first such repatriation under new president Lee Jae-myung. The group had expressed a desire to return home, Seoul's Ministry of Unification said on Wednesday (July 9). The handover took place at sea, with North Korean patrol vessels and fishing boats seen at the transfer point in the early morning. While Pyongyang did not formally acknowledge the return, some observers believe a 'behind the scenes' agreement was struck between the two sides. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'If you set a boat adrift in the vast ocean without any co-ordination, there's a real risk it could drift away again,' said Nam Sung-wook, former head of the Korea National Strategy Institute. He added that the six would likely be subjected to extensive interrogations by North Korean authorities to determine whether they 'received any espionage training or overheard anything sensitive', BBC reported. Four of the six were sailors who had drifted over the disputed maritime boundary came in May. The other two entered southern waters in March and remained for four months, the longest known stay for any non-defectors in the South. This repatriation comes as inter-Korean communication channels remain almost entirely severed. In April 2023, Pyongyang cut all official lines. Eight months later, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un declared that unification was no longer possible. The only known routes for contact now are through the US-led United Nations Command and media reports. Seoul said it had tried to notify the North twice through the UN Command but received no response. Disputed repatriation While official channels remain closed, the reappearance of North Korean vessels at the repatriation site suggests that some level of communication may still be occurring. 'Pyongyang certainly did not trust the Yoon remnants in South Korea,' said Michael Madden of the Stimson Center in Washington. He added that both sides may have been wary of being accused of an 'unlawful repatriation out of political expedience by the international community'. The incident occurred while South Korea was under interim leadership following the impeachment of former president Yoon Suk Yeol. It was only after Lee took office in June that the return process moved forward. Activists and defectors in the South have expressed concern over the decision. 'They should have been given a chance to talk to defectors and learn more about South Korean society,' said Lee Min-bok, a defector and campaigner who is known for floating anti-Kim leaflets into the North. 'If I'd had the chance to speak with them, I would have told them the truth [about inter-Korean history] and warned them that they could eventually face punishment from the North Korean regime.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Lee also warned that the new administration's conciliatory approach may lead to tighter restrictions on activists. South Korea's National Assembly is currently debating legislation that would ban balloon launches of propaganda across the border. Cautious diplomacy Since taking office, President Lee has made clear his desire to re-engage with Pyongyang. A week into his presidency, the South suspended its loudspeaker broadcasts across the border in what it called an attempt to 'restore trust in inter-Korean relations and achieve peace on the Korean Peninsula'. Despite these moves, analysts are sceptical about the chances for a thaw in relations. Celeste Arrington, director of the Institute for Korean Studies at George Washington University, said North Korea's growing military and economic partnership with Russia meant it had 'little need' to engage with Seoul. 'Thus, there are few signals, if any, of North Korea wanting to re-establish lines of communication with the South, let alone a desire for meaningful warming of relations,' she said. South Korean public opinion also remains cautious, with limited enthusiasm for renewed engagement. For now, efforts to rebuild trust between the two Koreas appear to be met with silence.
UPI
a day ago
- Politics
- UPI
South Korea repatriates 6 rescued North Koreans across sea border
South Korea repatriated six rescued North Koreans by sea Wednesday, sending them across the maritime border on their repaired wooden boat. Photo courtesy of South Korea Ministry of Unification July 9 (UPI) -- South Korea on Wednesday repatriated six North Koreans across the maritime border in the East Sea, months after they drifted into southern waters and were rescued. A repaired wooden boat carrying the North Koreans crossed the Northern Limit Line, the de facto maritime border between the two Koreas, at 8:56 a.m., Seoul's Unification Ministry said in a statement to reporters. "A North Korean patrol boat was at the handover point at the time of repatriation, and the North Korean vessel returned on its own," the ministry said in the statement. "During the repatriation process, we repeatedly confirmed the North Korean residents' free will to return, and cooperated with relevant organizations to safely protect the North Korean residents until repatriation," the ministry said. Ministry spokesman Koo Byoung-sam said earlier this week that Seoul's intention was to "repatriate them quickly and safely from a humanitarian standpoint." In May, South Korea's military and coast guard rescued four North Koreans who were drifting in a small boat in the East Sea around 60 miles south of the Northern Limit Line. A pair of North Korean nationals were also rescued under similar circumstances in the Yellow Sea in March. In a background briefing with reporters on Wednesday, a ministry official confirmed that North Korea never responded to notification efforts about the repatriation plan. The South reached out repeatedly via the U.S.-led United Nations Command, whose duties include controlling DMZ access and communicating with the North Korean military. Seoul informed Pyongyang of the repatriation time and location through the UNC channel, and the North Korean boats appeared without prior notice, the ministry official said. North Korea has completely cut off communications with the South in recent years as tensions remain high on the Peninsula. South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has made an effort to improve inter-Korean relations since taking office last month and has pledged to restore a military hotline that the North has not responded to since 2023. He recently ordered the suspension of propaganda loudspeaker broadcasts at the DMZ in an effort to lower tensions in the border area. Seoul's Unification Ministry also recently used a press briefing to request that the North give advance notice before releasing water from a dam across the border. Ministry spokeswoman Chang Yoon-jeong called the public appeal a form of "indirect communication" with Pyongyang. South Korean authorities are currently investigating a North Korean man who crossed the heavily fortified land border between the two Koreas and was taken into custody by the South's military. The man identified himself as a civilian, officials said, but they have not confirmed whether he intends to defect to the South.
Euronews
a day ago
- Politics
- Euronews
Seoul repatriates six North Koreans who drifted south by accident
South Korea has repatriated six North Koreans who drifted into its waters by mistake earlier this year. The six individuals were all handed back across the rivals' sea border on Wednesday morning, according to the South Korean Ministry of Unification. Two of them were rescued in the West Sea in March, while four were found in the East Sea in late May. The pair who were discovered first spent around four months in South Korea, the longest known time for any non-defectors. All six North Koreans had "strongly expressed their desire" to go home, Seoul said. The repatriation efforts were complicated by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's decision to cut inter-Korean communication lines in April 2023, following a deterioration in the relations between the two countries. Seoul said it had informed Pyongyang through the US-led United Nations Command about its intention to repatriate the six individuals, but that it had not received a response. However, a North Korean patrol boat was at the handover point on Wednesday when the six arrived in a repaired wooden boat, the South Korean Ministry of Unification said. Analysts noted that the repatriation process may also have taken longer than usual as a result of the recent political turmoil in South Korea. The six individuals all arrived in the country after the impeachment of former President Yoon Suk-yeol, who was officially removed from power in early April over his failed attempt to impose martial law in December. The North Koreans' handover was the first to take place since Lee Jae-myung took office as the South Korean president last month. Taking a different approach to the previous South Korean government, the liberal politician has stressed his desire to restart dialogue with Pyongyang. As part of these diplomatic efforts, South Korea has banned military loudspeaker broadcasts across the border and has moved to stop activities from floating balloons filled with propaganda leaflets into North Korea. It is not clear whether these attempts will work with Kim, who declared in January 2024 that South Korea was his country's "principal enemy".
Saudi Gazette
a day ago
- Politics
- Saudi Gazette
Seoul returns six North Koreans with 'strong desire' to go back
SEOUL — South Korea has repatriated six North Koreans who accidentally drifted into South Korean waters earlier this year. All six had consistently expressed their desire to go back, Seoul's Ministry of Unification said. Two of the North Koreans had veered into southern waters in March and stayed on for four months - the longest period recorded for non-defectors. The other four are sailors who drifted across a disputed maritime border between the North and the South in May. This is the first such return under the presidency of South Korea's Lee Jae-myung, who had campaigned on improving inter-Korea ties. The two countries unsuccessfully tried to co-ordinate the return for months. There have been several previous cases of North Koreans sailing unintentionally into the South. They often use small, wooden boats that cannot be easily steered back onto their course once adrift. In the past, authorities in the two countries would co-ordinate to send those who wished to return to the North back via their land Pyongyang had cut off all inter-Korea communication lines in April 2023 amid heightened months later, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un declared that unification with the South is no longer only known channels of communication that remain are the US-led United Nations Command and through the news Ministry of Unification said it had tried twice to inform the North of its intention to send these six people home via the United Nations Command, but did not receive a Korean patrol vessels and fishing boats were spotted at the handover point on Wednesday morning, leading some observers to believe the two Koreas would have agreed on a repatriation plan "behind the scenes"."If you set a boat adrift in the vast ocean without any co-ordination, there's a real risk it could drift away again," says Nam Sung-wook, the former head of the Korea National Strategy Institute think believes the six people will be interrogated at length when they return to the North."They'll be grilled on whether they received any espionage training or overheard anything sensitive. [It will be] an intense process aimed at extracting every last piece of information," he tells BBC the investigation is over, they may be asked to help spread propaganda. Their desire to return to the North "strengthens the legitimacy of [Kim's] regime", adds Lim Eul-chul, a professor specialising in North Korean studies in Kyungnam Madden, a North Korea expert from the Stimson Center in Washington, pointed out that the boats drifted south when South Korea was being led by interim presidents following former President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment."This may have delayed some decision making in both Koreas."Pyongyang certainly did not trust the Yoon remnants in South Korea, and both Koreas could have been open to accusations of an unlawful repatriation out of political expedience by the international community," he repatriations have left some North Korean defectors Lee Min-bok says the six people "should have been given a chance to talk to defectors and learn more about South Korean society"."If I'd had the chance to speak with them, I would have told them the truth [about inter-Korean history] and warned them that they could eventually face punishment from the North Korean regime, simply because they had already experienced life in the South," says Mr Lee, who used to float balloons with anti-Kim leaflets into the Mr Lee and other activists are expecting crackdowns from South Korea's new, pro-engagement National Assembly is currently debating a bill to ban such balloon Jae-myung, who was elected South Korea's president in June, has pledged to restart dialogue with Pyongyang and to reduce tensions between the two countries.A week after he took office, South Korea's military suspended its loudspeaker propaganda broadcasts across the border to North Korea - in what it described as a move to "restore trust in inter-Korean relations and achieve peace on the Korean Peninsula".Some analysts, however, do not expect a major improvement of ties between the Korea has "built up solid co-operation" with Russia, and now has "little need" to engage the South, says Celeste Arrington, director of The George Washington University Institute for Korean opinion in the South also suggests little appetite for engaging with the North, she says."Thus, there are few signals, if any, of re-establishing lines of communication between the North and the South, let alone meaningful warming of relations." — BBC
DW
a day ago
- Politics
- DW
South Korea repatriates 6 North Korean fishermen – DW – 07/09/2025
Seoul said six fishermen from the North were returned after they drifted into South Korean territorial waters earlier this year. South Korea has repatriated six North Korean fishermen who were rescued earlier this year after drifting across the maritime border separating the two countries. Seoul's Ministry of Unification said the men had repeatedly expressed the desire to go back to North Korea, news agency Yonhap reported on Wednesday. "The South Korean government repatriated six North Korean residents today via the East Sea," the unification ministry said in a statement. "With the full consent of all North Korean individuals involved... all six were repatriated together." Four of the North Korean fishermen were rescued in May after their boat drifted into the South Korean side of the East Sea. The other two men were rescued from the Yellow Sea under similar circumstances in March. Yonhap reported that the men were all placed on board a wooden boat which carried them back to North Korean waters. Some have questioned whether the men really wanted to return to the North. cited activist Peter Jung of the Seoul-based NGO, Justice for North Korea, as saying that the fishermen's wishes should have been verified "under the presence of the UN Refugee Agency or other UN agencies in Seoul." "It is difficult to believe all six of them want to return to North Korea," Jung said. Tens of thousands have fled North Korea to the South since the peninsula was divided in the 1950s. A few days ago a North Korean civilian defected across the heavily mined land border into South Korea with the help of the South's military in a 20-hour operation. Crossings directly through the 248-kilometer (155-mile) long, 4-kilometer-wide Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) are considered extremely rare. The two countries are still officially at war since a conflict in the 1950s, as the conflict ended in an armistice, but not a peace treaty. South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, who took office last month, has adopted a less hawkish approach than his predecessorand has said he would seek dialogue with Pyongyang. Lee ordered the discontinuation of the loudspeakers to "promote peace on the Korean Peninsula."
