The repatriation of 27 North Koreans has again been delayed due to problems with the ship that will be used for the return.

The repatriation was scheduled to take place at 1 p.m. on Thursday by using the wooden fishing boat that 31 North Koreans were aboard when they drifted across the inter-Korean maritime border in the yellow sea last month.

Seoul informed Pyongyang of the delay via liaison officers at the truce village of Panmunjeom on Thursday morning, saying that it will soon notify the North of a new repatriation date.

A South Korean government official said the South delayed the repatriation due to problems with the replacement engine Seoul had put in the vessel the North Koreans were in when they crossed into South Korean waters last month. As requested by North Korea, the vessel will be used to return the 27 North Koreans.

The official said the government will reschedule the return as soon as the ship is repaired.

He added that when North Korea was informed about the delay, the North said that it understood.

The four other North Koreans that crossed over the border in the vessel have expressed their intentions to remain in South Korea.