South Korea returns six North Koreans stranded at sea this year

The repatriation comes as President Lee Jae Myung, who took office on June 4, has promised to improve relations with the nuclear-armed north, saying tensions with Pyongyang have had a real negative economic impact.

Lee has called for diplomacy and dialogue with North Korea, and his administration has suspended loudspeaker propaganda broadcasts along the border, while pushing to stop anti-North Korean leaflet campaigns