The 31 North Koreans who floated into South Korean waters near Yeonpyeong Island in February will be sent back to North Korea soon.

A government source said that a joint investigation on the 31 North Koreans are in their final stages. The source said that none of them have expressed intention to defect. Accordingly, they will likely be returned to North Korea via the truce village of Panmunjeom this week at the earliest.

According to the source, the North Korean’s boat will also be returned via the maritime border, the Northern Limit Line (NLL).

The 31 North Koreans crossed the NLL into South Korean waters on a fishing vessel on the morning of February fifth. They have since been under investigation by the South Korean military and intelligence authorities.