More Defections

[Anchor Lead]

Following the high profile defection of North Korea’s deputy ambassador to the U.K., three more North Korean citizens have been confirmed to have defected to South Korea in recent days, this time by sea.

[Pkg]

Three North Koreans defected to the South on a fishing boat at around 7:20 a.m. on August 7th. They were discovered by South Korea's Pyeongtaek Coast Guard as the boat passed through waters under the jurisdiction of the metropolitan city of Incheon. Right away, the North Koreans expressed their intent to defect and Coast Guard officials brought them to Incheon Port where they were handed over to security authorities who were alerted about the incident. The defectors were reportedly on board a small and worn out fishing boat, not a large vessel. Security officials believe they set sail from Pyeonganbuk-do Province and traveled through open waters in the Yellow Sea. The incident marks the first time North Korean residents have defected through waters governed by the Pyeongtaek Coast Guard. They are currently under investigation at the joint interrogation center of the National Intelligence Service.

[Soundbite] Coast Guard Official(voice altered) : "We immediately contacted the NIS as they said they were N. Koreans and wanted to defect. The Coast Guard always alerts the NIS immediately, regardless of defection intent."

Authorities are looking into their identities and defection route, as their boat could have come from China. The Unification Ministry announced that while three North Korean residents had defected via the Yellow Sea early this month, further details couldn't be confirmed.