韩国送还3名朝鲜渔民

South Korea said Tuesday it repatriated three North Korean fishermen who had been rescued from their hobbled boat in the East Sea.

A South Korean unification ministry statement said the fishermen “expressed their wish to return home” and were handed back to North Korea Tuesday evening in the border village of Panmunjeom.

The ministry said their boat had originally departed from the port city of Wonsan before experiencing engine failure and beginning to drift.

South Korean vessels periodically rescue North Korean fishermen, some of whom request asylum in the South.

North and South Korea have been divided since the end of fighting in the Korean War more than 60 years ago. They are separated by a heavily guarded demilitarized zone that prevents unauthorized travel between the two sides.

韩国统一部发表声明说，这些渔民“表示了他们要回家的愿望”，因此星期二晚上在板门店停战村被交给了朝鲜方面。

韩国统一部说，这些渔民的船是从元山出发的，后来在海上发动机出现故障，开始漂流。

韩国船只时常救起朝鲜渔民，有些人被救起之后要求在韩国避难。

朝鲜和韩国60多年前朝鲜战争战斗结束后一直处于分裂状态。重兵防守的非军事区把两边隔离开来。人们在未经许可的情况下不能穿越非军事区到对面去。