Defector flees INTO North Korea from the South in uncommon case of intruder fleeing over the closely guarded border to communist nation
- South Korean troops noticed an unidentified individual minimize via a DMZ fence
- The crossing is a uncommon instance of somebody crossing the DMZ to get to the North
- The individual took an hour to traverse the closely guarded border and defect
1000's have risked snipers' bullets to flee from brutal communist state North Korea to South Korea - now somebody has defected in the other way.
Troops from South Korea noticed an unidentified individual minimize via a barbed wire fence on the border to enter the Demilitarised Zone between the 2 international locations on Saturday.
The individual took round an hour to make the perilous journey throughout an space bristling with land mines, electrical and barbed-wire fencing, cameras and armed guards.
South Korean military commanders mentioned: 'We've confirmed that the individual crossed the Navy Demarcation Line border and defected to the North.'
Greater than 200 folks a yr used to defect from North to South Korea however the quantity has dwindled through the pandemic.
South Korea despatched a message to North Korea on Sunday morning to make sure the security of the individual, however the North hasn't responded, the officers mentioned requesting anonymity citing division guidelines.
It was unclear if this was a uncommon case of a South Korean hoping to defect to the North, or it could possibly be a North Korean who briefly entered the South Korean territory for some purpose earlier than returning to the North.
In September 2020, North Korea fatally shot a South Korean fisheries official discovered floating in its waters alongside a poorly marked sea boundary.
South Korea mentioned that North Korea troops had been below orders to shoot anybody illegally crossing the border to guard towards the coronavirus pandemic.
Earlier in 2020, North Korean chief Kim Jong Un positioned a border metropolis below whole lockdown after a North Korean defector with COVID-19-like signs sneaked again dwelling. The destiny of that defector, who had lived in South Korea, just isn't identified.
On Saturday, North Korea introduced it had determined to position high precedence on strict virus restrictions at a high-profile ruling get together assembly final week.
The 2 Koreas are cut up alongside the world's most closely armed border, referred to as the Demilitarized Zone. An estimated 2 million mines are peppered inside and close to the 248-kilometer (155-mile) -long, 4-kilometer (2.5-mile) -wide DMZ, which can also be guarded by barbed wire fences, tank traps and fight troops on either side.
