A group of nine North Koreans in Japan who recently fled the North intending to defect to South Korea says their home country has no future.

According to Japan's NHK, the North Koreans said they have the financial means to live in the North, but after observing the living conditions in other countries, they saw no future staying in the communist nation.

The defectors said they heard that life overseas, including life in South Korea, provides more freedom such as using electricity whenever you choose.

The group arrived in Japan on a small wooden boat Tuesday and expressed their wish to defect to South Korea.