South Korea has said it is prepared to repatriate the North Korean engineer of a fishing boat used by a group of defectors who escaped from the Stalinist state on Sunday.

Ri Kyong-Song was found tied up in the engine room of the boat when it was intercepted by police in South Korean waters, according to local media.

The government plans to allow Ri to return home in respect to his free will

South Korean official

In what is the first direct maritime defection between the two states in five years, 20 North Koreans reportedly duped Mr Ri into taking the boat to sea and then seized control from him.

"I have my parents, wife and kids living in the North. I have no reason whatsoever to defect to the South," Mr Ri was quoted as telling investigators.

A South Korean government official told the official Yonhap news agency that Mr Ri would be allowed to return home if he wanted to.

Night tour

Mr Ri, chief engineer of the 20-tonne fishing vessel, was reportedly guarding the boat at night on Saturday when he was approached by its skipper, Sun Yong-Bum.

He told Mr Ri that some of his relatives wanted to enjoy a night tour.

The group were fearful Mr Li would alert the authorities

Once at sea the group, made up of 10 adults and 10 children from two families, took control of the boat and imprisoned Mr Ri in the engine room.

Mr Sun later told investigators that they had been fearful that Mr Ri would alert the authorities and foil the escape.

The defectors have been transferred to a safe house.

About 600 North Koreans have been granted asylum by the South this year.

Aid agencies say that as many as 300,000 North Koreans are thought to be living in China, although China does not recognise them as refugees and tends to send them back to North Korea, if they are discovered.