Japanese authorities have concluded the nine North Koreans who arrived in Japan by boat on Tuesday are escapees and have transported them to an immigration facility in Nagasaki.

Diplomatic sources in Japan and South Korea said Thursday that Seoul and Tokyo have yet to discuss how they will send the North Koreans to the South. The sources said the two countries are likely to seek a way to swiftly and quietly send the escapees to Seoul due to security reasons.

Japan’s Kyodo news quoted one of the escapees as saying that the group decided to flee after living conditions became difficult with the North’s Korean People’s Army taking large portions of money earned by citizens and on the belief that life in the South will be better.