The Foreign Ministry has confirmed that China has repatriated seven North Korean escapees who had been held in a Chinese detention center.

A ministry official said Wednesday that the Beijing government informed Seoul earlier on Monday that the North Koreans were sent back to their communist homeland in accordance with their free will.

The ministry suspects that the North Koreans are of the same group that staged a hunger strike at a detention center in Tumen in the northeastern province of Jilin in March, demanding refugee status.

Following the notification, Deputy Foreign Minister Lee Sun-jin summoned Chinese Ambassador in Seoul Li Bin and expressed Seoul's "deep regret" over the repatriation of the asylum-seekers.

Lee asked the Chinese government to present details of the repatriation, including when they were sent home, and also to take measures to prevent those repatriated from being punished in the North.

Li replied that his government sent the seven back home because they wanted to meet with their relatives. He added that he understands that Pyongyang would not punish its people who are repatriated from China unless they were involved in anti-government activities.

Earlier this month, the Foreign Ministry in Seoul had denied reports that the seven North Koreans had been repatriated by Chinese authorities.