All eleven North Koreans who crossed over into South Korea on Thursday via the East Sea have expressed their intent to defect.

The Unification Ministry in Seoul says all eleven made their intentions clear during a government investigation.

The ministry sent a telegram to North Korea on Sunday notifying Pyongyang of their intent to defect and that Seoul will officially announce the results of its probe as soon as it's completed. The ministry also said that if Pyongyang wants to confirm their intent for itself, Seoul would be willing to comply.

The ministry said North Korea sent two telegrams each on Friday and Sunday requesting that all eleven be repatriated.

The defectors boarded a ship in North Hamgyeong Province on Thursday afternoon and crossed over into South Korea's Jumunjin Port in Gangneung, Gangwon Province.