South Korea Deports North Koreans Who Fled After Allegedly Killing 16

South Korean Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo answers a lawmaker's question about North Koreans' deportation during a defense committee meeting at the National Assembly in Seoul, South Korea, on Nov. 7, 2019. Kim Ju-hyung/Yonhap via AP

SEOUL, South Korea—In an extremely unusual case, South Korea deported two North Korean fishermen on Thursday after finding they had killed 16 other crew members on their boat and then fled to South Korean waters, Seoul officials said.

The two North Koreans, both men in their 20s, were captured in their boat south of the countries’ eastern sea border on Nov. 2, according to Seoul’s Unification Ministry. It said a South Korean investigation later found the two had killed 16 colleagues, including the captain.