A North Korean man escaped to South Korea by swimming with pieces of Styrofoam. The rescue operation lasted ten hours.

On the night of July 30-31, a North Korean man managed to escape to South Korea by swimming through the Han River estuary, clinging to pieces of Styrofoam. Identified by the South Korean military, he signaled for help. The rescue operation, which was complex and lasted about ten hours, was successful and the defector confirmed his intention to leave North Korea. Crossing the inter-Korean border is rare, with most North Korean refugees choosing routes through China and other countries.