The South Korean coast guard rescued a North Korean fishing vessel in the East Sea on Saturday.
 
The Ministry of Unification said Monday that it rescued the ship running adrift half a mile north of Gwaneum Island in North Gyeongsang after its engine broke down.
 
The three men aboard the ship said they were fishermen and left from a port in Chongjin, North Hamgyong Province last Wednesday.
 
Out of the three crew members, two said they wanted to defect to the South, while the other said he wanted to return to the North.
 
The ministry said it had notified North Korea of the crew member that wanted to return to the North. It will hand him over through the border village of Panmunjeom on Tuesday morning.
 
For the other two crew members wishing to stay in the South, the ministry said it will handle the case by respecting their request on “humanitarian grounds.”