Four North Koreans found in South Korean waters in likely defection
Four North Korean people were recovered in a small wooden boat off the coast of South Korea early Tuesday in what is believed to be a defection, South Korean officials said.
The four North Koreans were rescued by the South Korean coast guard early Tuesday after being identified by a passing fishing boat, The Associated Press reported.
South Korean media KBS, citing an unidentified government official, reported that the four North Koreans — a man and three women — are members of one family.
Defecting by sea is a rare and extremely dangerous strategy, as many of the small ships are lost in rough seas. The more common method of defection is escape to China and then to Southeast Asia, which could take months.
More than 30,000 North Koreans have defected to the South since the late 1990s, most through the Southeast Asia route.
The group discovered Tuesday would be the second sea defection this year, if proven true. In May, nine people defected by sea along South Korea’s west coast.
Defectors are questioned by the South Korean military after capture to determine if they may be spies or criminals.
In 2019, South Korea deported two North Korean fishermen who said they wished to resettle, after determining they were criminals who had killed 16 fellow crew members. Earlier, several North Koreans were arrested after South Korean investigations concluded they were spies who had entered the country posing as defectors.
North Korea’s state media didn’t immediately report on the alleged defectors.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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