South Korea rescues North Koreans drifting off coast

Seoul: South Korea has rescued three North Koreans who were drifting off the east coast of South Korea on Saturday.

Seoul's Unification Ministry said Monday in a statement that two of the men said they wanted to stay in South Korea and one said he wished to return to the North. A ministry press official who refused to be identified because of office rules said it wasn't clear when the men left North Korea or what they were doing. The official didn't know if the men were on a boat or drifting on their own.

Seoul says Pyongyang has asked in a telephone call that Seoul immediately return all three crewmembers.

The one North Korean crewmember will be sent back to the North on Tuesday.