South Korean authorities rescued North Korean fishermen aboard a boat that went adrift in the East Sea (Sea of Japan) last week, Seoul has confirmed.

“On Nov. 3, [ROK authorities] took custody of a North Korean fishing vessel that had been drifting in the East Sea and are currently conducting an investigation,” the Ministry of Unification (MOU) told NK News on Tuesday.

The MOU could not provide details on the exact number of people on board the vessel or whether they have expressed an intention to defect, citing an ongoing investigation.

The South Korean daily JoongAng Ilbo reportedon Monday