South Korea is seeking to amend its laws to protect North Koreans from forced deportation.

The unification ministry on Thursday announced a proposed amendment to the North Korean Defectors Protection and Settlement Support Act, to compile a public consensus until January 16.  

The proposed revision gives the unification minister the authority to request a police investigation in the South of North Korean defectors suspected of committing a serious crime, such as murder.

Another change requires that the ministry confirm that defectors seeking to resettle in South Korea want protection from the ministry, which is currently given automatically.

This comes amid the forced repatriation of two North Korean fishermen in 2019 who claimed asylum but were denied on suspicion they murdered their fellow crewmates.