A North Korean soldier defected to South Korea, crossing the Demilitarized Zone, one of the most mined areas in the world.

The South Korean army announced that the man was caught on Sunday after crossing the military demarcation line. The South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) detailed that the military identified, pursued, and then escorted him into custody. Direct defections from North Korea to South Korea are rare, with most North Korean refugees opting to pass through China and other third countries. South Korean authorities are investigating the circumstances of the crossing, and North Koreans who manage to reach the South are usually held for interrogation. This is a notable situation, considering that in August 2024, another North Korean sergeant fled to the South.