The government will swiftly repatriate four North Koreans who were rescued late last month by South Korean authorities after their boat drifted over the Northern Limit Line in the East Sea. 

A unification ministry official told reporters on Thursday that a joint investigation conducted by related agencies since the May 27 rescue found that all four North Koreans want to return home. 

The official said the ministry will consult with related agencies to ensure their prompt and safe repatriation on humanitarian grounds. 

The military spotted a small wooden boat carrying the four crew members about 100 kilometers east of Goseong, Gangwon Province, on the morning of May 27 and conducted rescue efforts in cooperation with the Coast Guard.

It is unclear whether the North will respond to the South’s request to repatriate the crew members. 

In March, the South’s military rescued two North Koreans in the West Sea, but it has yet to hand them over as the North has not responded to the South’s repatriation request.