North Korean soldier defects to South Korea across heavily fortified border

"A North Korean soldier has defected to South Korea across the rivals' heavily fortified border, South Korea's military has said. The military took custody of the soldier who crossed the central portion of the land border on Sunday, South Korea's joint chiefs of staff said in a statement. It said the soldier expressed a desire to resettle in South Korea."

"It is not common for North Koreans to defect via the land border. Despite its official name, the demilitarised zone, the 248km (155-mile)long and 4km (2.5-mile) wide border is guarded by landmines, tank traps, barbed wire fences and combat troops. In 2017, when a fleeing North Korean soldier sprinted across the border, North Korean soldiers fired about 40 rounds before South Korean soldiers could drag the wounded soldier to safety."

"A vast majority of about 34,000 North Koreans who have fled to South Korea since the end of the 1950-53 Korean war came via China, which shares a long, porous border with North Korea. Relations between the two Koreas remain strained, with North Korea repeatedly rejecting outreach by South Korea's liberal president, Lee Jae Myung, who took office in June with a vow to improve relations between the countries."

A North Korean soldier crossed the central portion of the land border and was taken into custody in South Korea after expressing a desire to resettle there. The defection was the first reported by a North Korean soldier since a staff sergeant fled via the border's eastern section in August 2024. Land-border defections remain uncommon. The demilitarised zone is 248km long and 4km wide but heavily fortified with landmines, tank traps, barbed wire fences and combat troops. In 2017, North Korean soldiers fired about 40 rounds at a fleeing soldier before South Korean forces reached him. About 34,000 North Koreans have fled to South Korea, mostly via China. Bilateral relations remain strained, with North Korea rejecting outreach from South Korea's President Lee Jae Myung.

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