The South Korean government has decided to send back two North Koreans who were rescued near the Dokdo islets in the East Sea on Sunday via the truce village of Panmunjeom on the inter-Korean border.

A Ministry of Unification official said that the government had found during questioning that the North Koreans had drifted into South Korean waters while fishing, and that both wished to return to the North. The official added that Seoul sent Pyongyang a message notifying its intention to repatriate both men.

The small wooden boat carrying the two North Koreans had no engine and was drifting north of the easternmost islets of Dokdo in South Korean waters. It was found and towed to shore by South Korea’s coast guard on Sunday.