S. Korea in talks with Japan to bring N. Korean defectors here: sources

SEOUL, Sept. 18 (Yonhap) -- South Korea is negotiating with Japan in an effort to get the nine North Koreans who entered Japanese waters aboard a boat last week to Seoul, diplomatic sources said Sunday. According to the sources, Seoul, "directly and indirectly," has confirmed these defectors' willingness to come to South Korea and is in talks with relevant Japanese authorities to bring them here. The foreign ministry is said to be contacting its Japanese counterpart through the South Korean Embassy in Tokyo, but sources said that when and how the North Koreans come here has not been determined. Last Wednesday, the nine North Koreans, including three children, were found adrift aboard a boat off Japan's west coast. Japan officially notified South Korea that the North Korean defectors want to come to Seoul, according to the foreign ministry. North Korea, meanwhile, has not commented on the ongoing situation. Sources said to ensure the safety of the nine North Koreans, the South Korean government will not disclose the details of its talks with Japan or its interviews with the would-be defectors. Earlier, the foreign ministry here said the government will respect the "free will" of the nine North Koreans. In June 2007, Japan sent a family of four North Korean defectors to South Korea upon their request, two weeks after they arrived by boat in Aomori, a prefecture on the northern tip of Honshu. According to a foreign ministry report, there were 378 North Korean defectors staying overseas as of July this year. It said it was working with relevant countries and international agencies to grant defectors' wishes and get them to South Korea safely. "The government's position is that we accept all North Koreans who want to defect to South Korea," the report said. "On average, defectors spend one month to four months overseas before arriving in South Korea."