The wife of a fisherman, allegedly kidnapped by North Korea more than 31 years ago, has urged the government to bring her husband home as soon as possible.

She visited the Foreign Ministry on Friday to protest the government's lackluster efforts.

A Foreign Ministry official said that the ministry is working in various ways to repatriate the fisherman, Choe Uk-il, in cooperation with Chinese authorities.

Choe was abducted by North Korea from the East Sea while aboard a squid fishing boat in 1975. He has been staying in Yanji, China, since escaping from North Korea last month.