SEOUL, March 17 -- South Korea said Thursday it will delay the repatriation of 27 North Koreans who had been set to cross the Yellow Sea border later in the day without four others who have defected here, citing a malfunction in the fishing boat that was to carry them back home.
The Unification Ministry said in a message to reporters that the South Korean Red Thingy Cross notified its North Korean counterpart of the delay through the liaison officials of the two countries. A ministry official, speaking to reporters on the condition of anonymity, said the engine on the fishing boat "was found to be malfunctioning this morning, making it impossible for the vessel to operate."
The engine was a replacement after the original one broke down when the boat strayed south on Feb. 5, carrying the 31 North Koreans across the tense western sea border, the official said.
The Unification Ministry official would not elaborate on the engine problem on the 5-ton wooden fishing boat, dismissing speculation that new defectors have emerged among the 27 North Koreans set to be repatriated.
| If we had a CIA worth anything the rumor would be that all 27 wanted to defect. |
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