The South Korean government said Tuesday it repatriated three North Korean fishermen who were rescued in the East Sea this week.

"Our Coast Guard found a North Korean boat drifting in the East Sea and rescued three crew members there," the unification ministry said in a release.

"We handed them over to the North at around 6:50 p.m. today through the truce village of Panmunjeom, as they all expressed their wish to return home," it added.

The boat, which departed from the North's port city of Wonsan, was drifting due to engine failure, according to the ministry.  (Yonhap)