South Korea on Friday dismissed attempts by the North Korean media to tie the controversial 2016 reported defection of 12 DPRK restaurant workers to long-stalled reunions of families separated by the Korean War.

The comments, which came from the South Korean Ministry of Unification (MOU), follow a notable uptick in coverage by the externally-focused Uriminzokkiri outlet calling on Seoul to repatriate the 12 women, who Pyongyang claims were abducted.

The marked increase in coverage of the issue follows an investigation into the case by the Seoul-based National Human Rights Commission of Korea (NHRCK).

While that report did not completely exonerate the ROK government