A North Korean soldier has crossed the heavily militarised Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) into South Korea — the first known defection along the 248km border since August 2024.
South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff confirmed the incident, saying the soldier crossed the central section of the DMZ late Monday. He was detained without resistance and is currently being questioned by authorities.
The defection comes amid heightened tensions on the peninsula, with Pyongyang recently escalating military activity and severing communication lines. Such defections are rare due to the extreme risk involved — the DMZ is lined with mines, barbed wire, and armed guards on both sides.
Officials say the soldier’s motives remain under investigation, though past defectors have cited political oppression, hunger, and harsh living conditions in North Korea as key reasons for fleeing.
Seoul has informed U.S. and UN Command forces of the crossing as part of standard military protocol.
