Two North Korean soldiers rescued earlier this month by the South Korean navy were sent home on Wednesday afternoon.

One of the soldiers, who received extensive treatment for severe frostbite and hypothermia at a South Korean military hospital, was moved to the truce village of Panmunjom before being carried on a stretcher to the North.

The other soldier, who also suffered from severe frostbite and hypothermia but recovered soon after, walked across the military demarcation line to return to his country.

The repatriation came nearly three weeks after the two were rescued in waters off South Korea's eastern city of Sokcho on December ninth.