Lee Hyo-jin covers the Bank of Korea, the banking industry and broader financial news. Her previous beats include foreign affairs, North Korea and general reporting on Korean society.
South Korea to repatriate 6 North Korean residents
A Navy patrol ship tows a wooden boat that crossed the Northern Limit Line in the East Sea, Oct. 24, 2023. Yonhap
By Lee Hyo-jin
Return to be carried out despite no response from Pyongyang
The government said Monday it will repatriate six North Korean residents who were rescued after drifting into South Korean waters earlier this year — a move that, if carried out, aligns with the Lee Jae Myung administration's push for reengagement with Pyongyang.
Although Pyongyang has not responded to repeated notifications from Seoul about the planned repatriation, the Ministry of Unification said it will proceed with the operation on humanitarian grounds.
"The government’s position is to promptly and safely repatriate all six North Korean residents rescued in the East and West Seas from a humanitarian standpoint, as they have all expressed a strong desire to return," ministry spokesperson Koo Byung-sam said during a press briefing.
Koo declined to offer details on when or how the repatriation would take place, although the operation is reportedly set to occur as early as this week.
The six North Koreans comprise two fishermen rescued in the West Sea in March and four individuals found in the East Sea on May 27. During investigation by South Korean authorities, all six stated they had no intention of defecting and wished to return home.
Seoul has attempted to notify Pyongyang of its intent to repatriate the individuals via a direct military communication line — often referred to as the "pink phone" — which connects the United Nations Command (UNC) and the North Korean military.
But North Korea has not responded, according to the unification ministry.
According to military sources, the government plans to repatriate the group using the boat that drifted in from the East Sea, as the vessel recovered from the West Sea was deemed too damaged for reuse.
"There’s a higher possibility of repatriation via the West Sea rather than the East Sea, but weather conditions could be a variable on when to carry out the operation," a military official told The Korea Times on condition of anonymity.
The two North Koreans rescued in the West Sea have remained in South Korea for about four months — the longest publicly known stay by individuals seeking repatriation in similar circumstances. In past cases, those requesting to return were typically sent back within days or weeks.
Gaepung County, North Hwanghae Province, North Korea, is seen from an observatory in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, June 19. Yonhap
The delay in repatriation comes as inter-Korean relations are at their lowest point in recent years, with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un severing all formal communication with the South after declaring it the regime’s "No. 1 enemy state."
In addition, political uncertainty in Seoul following the impeachment of former President Yoon Suk Yeol in April appears to have delayed the government’s decisions on sensitive North Korea-related matters.
Still, it is highly unusual for South Korea to proceed with repatriation without prior communication with the North. When channels between the two Koreas were open, North Korea typically dispatched vessels to retrieve boats that had drifted south.
Whether Pyongyang will accept the planned repatriation remains unclear.
Although North Korea has ignored Seoul’s recent overtures on the matter, Pyongyang last month informed the UNC of plans to build fortifications along the inter-Korean border — its first such communication in more than six months, according to Seoul’s Ministry of National Defense.
The decision to move forward with repatriation reflects the Lee administration’s willingness to engage with the nuclear-armed North. At a press conference marking his first month in office last Thursday, Lee emphasized the importance of dialogue and communication with Pyongyang.
He also highlighted North Korea’s relatively swift response to South Korea’s decision to halt propaganda loudspeaker broadcasts along the border as a hopeful sign for reengagement. Seoul ended the broadcasts on June 11, and Pyongyang suspended its own the next day.