S. Korea seeks to return body of presumed N. Korean found near border river in July: ministry

SEOUL, Nov. 11 (Yonhap) -- South Korea has tried to notify North Korea of its plan to return the body of a presumed North Korean woman found near the inter-Korean border in July, Seoul's unification ministry said Friday.

The body was discovered around the Imjin River on July 23 and related investigations showed that she is believed to be a North Korean, according to the ministry.

The ministry said it has sought to notify North Korea of its plan to hand over the body next week at the truce village of Panmunjom, but the North has not responded as of now.

"If North Korea expresses its intent to accept the body, the ministry plans to return it and her belongings at Panmunjom," Lee Hyo-jung, the ministry's deputy spokesperson, said at a regular press briefing.

sooyeon@yna.co.kr
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