Crewmen of the DPRK met distress in the East Sea of Korea recently while fishing.

In this regard the DPRK side demanded the south Korean authorities send three distressed crewmen of the DPRK and their fishing boat back immediately.

But the south Korean authorities repatriated one crewman only via Panmunjom and unreasonably held two crewmen in custody, asserting "they expressed their will to defect" and the like.

The DPRK side immediately sent a notice strongly urging the south side once again to send the two crewmen back and demanding it bring them to Panmunjom and let them meet face-to-face with a representative of the DPRK side if "their intention is true".

Nevertheless, the south Korean authorities still keep them in custody, barring them from meeting with a representative of the DPRK side though several days have passed since then.

This is an unpardonable grave encroachment upon the human rights of the DPRK citizens and its sovereignty and another unethical crime.

The families of the crewmen who are detained in south Korea are eagerly waiting for their earliest possible safe return to their hometown, the statement said, and went on:

The south Korean authorities should unconditionally and immediately send all our unreasonably detained crewmen back.

If they refuse to do so, we will strongly react against them, as we have already warned, and then they will be held wholly responsible for the ensuing grave consequences.