DPRK returns 6 detained ROK citizens back

SEOUL - The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) returned six the Republic of Korea's nationals who have been detained in Pyongyang back to Seoul through the truce village of Panmunjom, Seoul's Unification Ministry said Friday.

Six ROK's people, who have been detained in the DPRK allegedly for unlawfully entering the country, crossed the land border through the neutral truce village of Panmunjom at 4:50 pm local time, the Unification Ministry said by phone.

The ministry unveiled family name, age and gender of the six people, but declined to disclose detailed identities of them. Those were all male, and the age ranged from 27 to 67.

They were reportedly being transported to Seoul by helicopter as the ministry plans to look into the process of their entrance to the DPRK and what they did while staying in Pyongyang.

According to related laws, those defected to the DPRK voluntarily would be punished.

The DPRK sent a notice in the name of its National Red Cross chairman on Thursday saying it would return the six people back to Seoul.

The DPRK's Korea Central news Agency (KCNA) said on Feb 26, 2010 that four ROK's nationals had been detained in the country and questioned for illegally entering Pyongyang.

The ROK requested the DPRK to verify the identification of those detained at that time, but Pyongyang did not respond to it, the Unification Ministry said.