Three North Korea fishermen repatriated after rescue at sea

SEOUL, Dec. 29 (UPI) -- Three North Korean fishermen were repatriated after being rescued by South Korea Coast Guard on the east coast of the peninsula.

Seoul said the three fishing workers were found earlier this week, Yonhap reported.

"[South Korea] Coast Guard found a North Korean boat drifting in the East Sea and rescued three crew members there," the Unification Ministry said in its statement.

South Korea said the crew was handed over to North Korea at 6:50 p.m. Tuesday, through the truce village of Panmunjom.

"All expressed a wish to return home," South Korea said, adding their boat, which originated from the North Korean port city of Wonsan, had drifted due to engine failure. The boat would also have been returned to the North but the structure was beyond repair, according to South Korean government officials.

South Korean news network YTN reported the boat was discovered near Ulleungdo, a sparsely inhabited island with about 10,000 residents.

Repatriation of North Koreans adrift at sea and rescued by South Korea Coast Guard took place earlier in 2015.

In July South Korea saved five North Korean sailors who had drifted south of the maritime border that divides North and South on the eastern coast of the Korean peninsula.

Three of the five had said they wished to defect to the South, and the remaining two were returned to North Korea at Panmunjom.

North and South Korea have stood by the practice of returning citizens who are found to have drifted into the other's territory.