SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea's military says it fired warning shots toward a North Korean boat crossing their sea border, then it sent a navy mechanic to repair the drifting boat's engine so it could return to the North.

Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff said Friday it was the first time the South fired warning shots toward a North Korean vessel under the government of President Moon Jae-in, who took office in May 2017 and has pursued diplomatic engagement with the North.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff says the wooden boat with four crewmembers returned to the North on Thursday evening.

It says the crewmembers were government workers who monitor the activities of North Korean fishing boats.