Tens of thousands of North Koreans have fled to South Korea since the end of the Korean War in 1953, but almost all do so through third countries such as China and Thailand. The defectors rarely cross the Korean border directly.
The South Korean military “detained a suspected North Korean in the eastern tip and handed him over to relevant authorities,” it said, referring to Korea’s east coast.
The Joint Chiefs of Staff added that no unusual troop movements were observed during the withdrawal from North Korea. “Competent authorities are currently investigating, so it is not possible to confirm why the individual went south,” he said.
Very rare cases in recent years
The man, dressed in a North Korean military uniform, was intercepted as he walked along a coastal road in the eastern province of Gangwon, local media reported. This is the second time in two weeks that a North Korean has traveled directly to the South. On August 8, another traitor managed to cross the Korean Sea border into the Yellow Sea.
The number of defections has dropped sharply since 2020 when North Korea closed its border with China to protect against Covid-19.
In 2023, the year Pyongyang reopened the border with China, a total of 196 North Koreans were able to enter South Korea, compared to just 67 in 2022. According to the South Korean government, diplomats or diplomats or students abroad – attempt to flee.
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