South Korea’s unification ministry is seeking North Korea’s ​help to find a missing ‌seaman near the two countries’ border ​on the east coast, ⁠it said on Sunday (July 12, 2026).

The request was sent via a text message to reporters ‌because there is no active communication line with the ‌North, according to the ministry in ‌charge ⁠of handling inter-Korean affairs. ⁠It said it was directed to Pyongyang.

“On July 12, a navy seaman went missing ​while on ‌a coast guard duty on the East Sea, and it seems there is a possibility of being ‌drifted north across the Northern ​Limit Line,” the message said, referring to the coastal ⁠border with North Korea.

“As our navy is currently searching for the ‌missing person, we request cooperation with the search and return from a humanitarian perspective.” The North Korean embassy in London did not immediately respond to a Reuters’ ‌request for comment.

The South Korean administration ​of President Lee Jae Myung has sought to ease tensions ⁠with Pyongyang since taking office last year, ⁠but its repeated overtures for dialogue have been rebuffed by ‌North Korea, which declared South Korea as a “hostile nation” in ​2024.