Overview

• On July 10, a repaired wooden boat carrying six North Korean fishermen docked at a North Korean port after crossing the Northern Limit Line the previous day.
• South Korea twice notified Pyongyang of the repatriation plan through the U.N. Command hotline as official inter-Korean communication channels remain cut.
• North Korean patrol and fishing vessels appeared at the designated handover point without prior response and safely retrieved the returnees.
• All six men, who were rescued in March and May after drifting into South Korean waters, repeatedly confirmed their wish to return during interviews conducted by South Korean, U.N. and Neutral Nations authorities.
• The operation underscores President Lee Jae Myung’s humanitarian approach and signals cautious progress in cooperation despite stalled direct dialogue between the Koreas.