4 suspected North Korean defectors found in a small boat in South Korean waters
South Korean officials say four suspected North Korean defectors were found in a small wooden boat near the two Koreas’ sea border SEOUL, South Korea -- Four North Koreans were found in a small wooden boat in South Korean waters on Tuesday in what is likely a rare case of North Koreans taking a risky sea voyage to flee to the South, Seoul officials said. More than 30,000 North Koreans have fled to South Korea to avoid poverty and political oppression since the late 1990s. A vast majority of them have come via a land route with China, and defecting by sea is uncommon because it’s more dangerous. A South Korean coast guard ship found the boat south of the two Koreas’ eastern sea border on Tuesday morning, after a report by a fishing boat. The four people on board identified themselves as North Koreans, coast guard officials said. South Korea’s military said it secured the custody of the North Koreans in coordination with the coast guard, after chasing their boat along the sea border....