KAGOSHIMA -- The bodies of two crew members from a suspected North Korean spy ship that sank in the East China Sea after exchanging fire with Japan Coast Guard vessels last month were cremated Wednesday, coast guard officials said.
The 10th Regional Coast Guard Headquarters transferred the unidentified remains to the municipal government, which later cremated them, the officials said.
The coast guard officials said they decided it was not appropriate to keep the remains longer, out of respect for the dead.
The ship sank Dec. 22, and all 15 crew members went missing. The bodies of the two were later recovered.
A life jacket worn by one had a tag bearing a description of its size and component materials in Korean. A confectionery bag with Korean writing was found in clothing belonging to another sailor, according to the coast guard.
The two are believed to have drowned. After legal autopsies were performed, the bodies were stored at the regional coast guard headquarters.