Seoul to repatriate N. Koreans who drifted South

SEOUL, Nov. 21 (Yonhap) -- South Korea will send six North Koreans back to their
home country later Friday, a day after their boat drifted into southern waters
off the east coast apparently due to a mechanical glitch, officials said.

"The boat will head back to the North by the end of the day weather permitting,"
Unification Ministry spokesman Kim Ho-nyoun said.
The six North Koreans were discovered aboard a 15-ton wooden boat by South
Korea's coast guard on Thursday night. "Related authorities confirmed through a
joint investigation their wish to return to the North," Kim said.
He noted the two Koreas had discussions on repatriating the North Koreans via the
maritime communications channel, one of the few remaining inter-Korean contact
links.
The North cut off Red Cross telephone links with the South last week in protest
against what it describes as Seoul's "confrontational" policy toward Pyongyang.
lcd@yna.co.kr