South Korea has sought North Korea’s cooperation to find and return a missing sailor. The request was made after reports that the sailor had gone missing from a vessel on patrol in an area near the Northern Limit Line (NLL) off South Korea’s east coast on Sunday (July 12) morning.
South Korea’s Ministry of Unification, which handles relations with North Korea, said in a brief statement: “A sailor from a South Korean Navy ship on a security mission in the East Sea went missing on the morning of July 12. It is believed he has drifted to the north of the NLL.” The East Sea is also known as the Sea of Japan.
The statement added: “The South Korean Navy is currently trying to find the missing sailor. On humanitarian grounds, we seek North Korea’s cooperation in the search operation and in bringing the person back.” The Yonhap news agency said the missing sailor’s rank was “seaman apprentice.”
Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back also directed officials to “make the maximum effort to rescue the missing service member as quickly and safely as possible.”
South Korean President Lee Jae-myung is trying to reduce tension with nuclear-armed North Korea through dialogue and trust-building steps after a long period of strained relations, and it was against this backdrop that the latest appeal was made. Since taking office in June 2025, Lee has followed a relatively soft policy toward North Korea, the complete opposite of his predecessor’s hardline stance.
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