[Photo] 2 crew members of N. Korean boat request defection to S. Korea

A small North Korean fishing boat was discovered drifting near the port of Samcheok off the coast of the East Sea in Gangwon Province on June 15. Out of the boat’s four crew members, two expressed their desire to defect to South Korea, while the other two requested their return to the North via Panmunjom. The two who requested to be returned to North Korea were sent to their home country on the morning of June 18. It remains to be seen how North Korea will respond to the defection of the other two crew members.