(2nd LD) S. Korea seeks to return body of presumed N. Korean found near border river in July: ministry

(ATTN: UPDATES with more details in 3rd para)

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 had not responded as of 5:00 p.m. on Friday.

"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.

The woman was wearing a badge showing the portraits of North Korea's late founder Kim Il-sung and former leader Kim Jong-il when her body was found, the ministry said.

Since 2010, the ministry has sent back a total of 23 bodies of North Koreans who were found in the South, most recently in November 2019.

sooyeon@yna.co.kr
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