A fisherman who was kidnapped by North Korea in the East Sea three decades ago has sought asylum in a South Korean embassy in China.

An organization for relatives of kidnap victims of the North on Wednesday identified the man only by his last name Kim.

Upon entering the embassy, Kim wanted to visit his mother in his hometown in South Korea, but hesitated for three weeks in consideration of his family's safety in the North.

The 61-year-old man was fishing for squid with 30 other fishermen when he was kidnapped and taken to the North.

He later married and lived near the capital of Pyongyang.