Two North Korean residents drifting in a wooden boat in the West Sea were discovered by our military authorities earlier this month. They are currently under investigation.
According to the Ministry of National Defense on the 21st, the military detected a small wooden boat drifting in the West Sea earlier this month. Upon confirmation with the Coast Guard, it was found that the boat was carrying two North Korean Namsung. The location of the discovery was within the West Sea Joint Fishing Zone between Korea and China, south of the Northern Limit Line (NLL).
After securing these individuals, the military conducted a joint intelligence investigation with relevant agencies, including the National Intelligence Service. It is reported that they likely drifted after a problem arose with their boat and mistakenly crossed over the NLL. Authorities are said to be discussing whether to repatriate them to North Korea, considering that they did not express a clear intent to defect.
In July 2019, during the Moon Jae-in administration, when a North Korean vessel accidentally crossed the East Sea NLL, the government confirmed the resident's intention to return and delivered a notification to North Korea through the Kaesong inter-Korean joint liaison office, promptly repatriating them two days after crossing.