Two North Korean fishermen picked up by South Korean patrols in March remain stranded in the South as Pyongyang refuses to respond to requests for their return.
Their case has now become the longest unresolved repatriation of reluctant North Korean defectors. In previous similar incidents, North Koreans who asked to return were usually sent back quickly. This time, North Korea has cut all communication, including hotline calls from the South.
Experts say Pyongyang’s silence reflects a broader political message. The North has expressed strong opposition to Seoul’s recent security alignment with the US and Japan, particularly under now-impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol. Last year, North Korea amended its constitution to formally declare South Korea a hostile state. Roads and rail lines across the border have been destroyed, and the frontier is sealed with anti-tank barriers.
Some analysts believe the two men may be trying to protect their families. North Korea is known to punish relatives of defectors, and reports suggest those crackdowns have worsened. The men’s continued insistence on returning could be a way to avoid retaliation against loved ones still inside the country.
With no response from Pyongyang and no other channel of contact, the two fishermen remain in limbo, waiting for a decision that may not come any time soon.
As Argentina’s unemployment hits a four-year high, the spotlight has turned to the libertarian administration of President Javier Milei, whose sweeping economic reforms are reshaping the country’s social and labour landscape.
US President Donald Trump said Friday that a major deal with Harvard University could be announced soon.
US President Donald Trump rejected the official assessment from his intelligence community that Iran is not currently building a nuclear weapon.
NATO needs to evolve to meet today’s changing world, Italy’s Defense Minister Guido Crosetto said Friday.
Pakistan has nominated U.S. President Donald Trump for the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize for his "diplomatic role and leadership" during the recent crisis with India.
U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance visited military personnel in Los Angeles on Friday following their deployment to the city earlier this month in response to protests triggered by federal immigration enforcement actions.
As Argentina’s unemployment hits a four-year high, the spotlight has turned to the libertarian administration of President Javier Milei, whose sweeping economic reforms are reshaping the country’s social and labour landscape.
South Korea’s chief trade negotiator, Yeo Han-koo, will travel to the United States from June 22 to 27 for a new round of high-level discussions aimed at resolving escalating trade tensions, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy announced on Saturday.
US President Donald Trump said Friday that a major deal with Harvard University could be announced soon.
US President Donald Trump rejected the official assessment from his intelligence community that Iran is not currently building a nuclear weapon.
Iranian missiles struck multiple locations across Israel and neighbouring regions early Friday morning, including a Microsoft office complex, according to emergency responders and local media reports.
Peace is no longer a dream. It is a discussion. On the streets of Baku and Yerevan, it is also a question, of trust, of foreign interests, and of who truly wants it.
A high-speed tram derailment in central Gothenburg, Sweden, has left at least eight people injured late on Thursday (19 June), after the vehicle slammed into a snack bar on Avenyn Avenue.
The 2025 G7 Leaders’ Summit was held June 15–17 in Kananaskis, Alberta, under Canada’s presidency. Prime Minister Mark Carney framed the meeting around priorities of protecting communities, energy and climate security, the digital transition, and future partnerships.
The USS Nimitz is heading to the Middle East amid tensions between Israel and Iran. The U.S. aircraft carrier has a decades-long history in the region, from the 1979 hostage crisis to modern deployments, often serving as a key asset during periods of rising friction with Iran.
U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance visited military personnel in Los Angeles on Friday following their deployment to the city earlier this month in response to protests triggered by federal immigration enforcement actions.
As Argentina’s unemployment hits a four-year high, the spotlight has turned to the libertarian administration of President Javier Milei, whose sweeping economic reforms are reshaping the country’s social and labour landscape.
South Korea’s chief trade negotiator, Yeo Han-koo, will travel to the United States from June 22 to 27 for a new round of high-level discussions aimed at resolving escalating trade tensions, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy announced on Saturday.
US President Donald Trump said Friday that a major deal with Harvard University could be announced soon.
US President Donald Trump rejected the official assessment from his intelligence community that Iran is not currently building a nuclear weapon.
U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance visited military personnel in Los Angeles on Friday following their deployment to the city earlier this month in response to protests triggered by federal immigration enforcement actions.
As Argentina’s unemployment hits a four-year high, the spotlight has turned to the libertarian administration of President Javier Milei, whose sweeping economic reforms are reshaping the country’s social and labour landscape.
South Korea’s chief trade negotiator, Yeo Han-koo, will travel to the United States from June 22 to 27 for a new round of high-level discussions aimed at resolving escalating trade tensions, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy announced on Saturday.
US President Donald Trump said Friday that a major deal with Harvard University could be announced soon.
US President Donald Trump rejected the official assessment from his intelligence community that Iran is not currently building a nuclear weapon.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment