A North Korean fishing boat and its crew, who were rescued by South Korean patrol vessels in waters near the Dokdo islets, will be returned to the North on Tuesday.
 
A Unification Ministry official said South Korean vessels found the seven-ton squid fishing boat drifting in waters near the Dokdo islets in the East Sea last Sunday after suffering an engine malfunction. The North Korean boat had departed from North Hamgyong Province on November tenth.  
 
The official said all ten crew members aboard the fishing boat had expressed a desire to return to the North. According to the official, the ministry had sent a message to the North informing them of its plan to transfer the fishermen and the boat. 
 
The official said the fishing boat will be handed over to the North by South Korean patrol boats who must tow the vessel to the Northern Limit Line as it is in poor condition even after undergoing repairs.