A South Korean court found four former government officials guilty on Wednesday of forcibly repatriating two North Korean fishermen in 2019, despite their intention to defect, in a case that provoked criticism from global human rights activists.

North Korea has criticized the United States and Asian neighbors for pursuing the “absurd” goal of denuclearizing the North and says it will push to expand its nuclear forces under the direction of it

Diplomatic efforts between the U.S. and North Korea have remained stalled since the collapse of nuclear negotiations between former President Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un in 2019. While Trump and Kim met three times in 2018 and 2019, talks ultimately broke down over disagreements regarding sanctions relief and the North's disarmament steps.