SEOUL - SOUTH Korea has sent six North Koreans back to their communist homeland after their fishing boat accidentally drifted south due to an engine problem.

The Unification Ministry says the North Koreans were handed over at the two countries' land border on Friday evening.

The ministry says it had to change its original plan to repatriate the fishermen along with their 15-ton boat at sea because the dilapidated wooden vessel sank in bad weather on the way to the maritime border off the east coast.

The fishermen were rescued on Tuesday night while drifting with an engine problem.

Tension is running high on the Korean peninsula after the North said it would ban border crossings starting next month. -- AP