On October 19, South Korean military personnel apprehended a North Korean soldier. He had managed to cross the heavily guarded border between the two countries. This was reported by the Yonhap news agency.
According to official information, the incident occurred in the central part of the border. The North Korean soldier who crossed the military demarcation line was immediately identified and captured following standard procedure.
This is the first case of a North Korean military serviceman defecting to the South since President Lee Jae-myung came to power.
The relevant authorities are currently conducting an investigation into the soldier's reasons for defecting and the circumstances of the incident.
According to officials from the Republic of Korea, although the number of North Koreans who defected to South Korea in 2024 reached 236, only three of them directly crossed this dangerous border.
