Crossing Border Illegally: A North Korean Man Evades Army and Landmines En route to South Korea
In a significant development, a North Korean soldier has defected to South Korea by crossing the Military Demarcation Line (MDL) in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) identified the individual near the MDL, conducted tracking and surveillance, and carried out a standard guiding operation to secure custody.
This event marks a rare instance of a direct land crossing from North Korea to South Korea, a journey usually fraught with extreme risks due to the heavily fortified nature of the border, landmines, and military patrols.
The North Korean stayed mostly still during the day and was approached by South Korean troops at night. The mission involved a considerable number of South Korean troops and took place in an area difficult to navigate due to dense vegetation and landmine risks.
Since the Korean War, about 34,000 North Koreans have defected to South Korea, with the majority escaping via indirect routes rather than directly crossing the DMZ. Most defectors historically cross into China first, typically entering Chinese border provinces like Jilin or Liaoning. From China, defectors often travel through a third country such as Thailand before reaching South Korea.
The number of defections has fluctuated over the years. The 1990s famine in North Korea triggered a spike in defections, reaching peak numbers around 1998-1999 as people fled starvation and oppression. More than 30,000 have successfully defected since then. However, the number of defections has generally decreased since the early 2010s due to stricter border controls, forced deportations, and high costs of escape.
In recent years, the number of successful escapes dropped significantly due to North Korea sealing its borders with shoot-on-sight orders to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Defectors face severe punishments if caught in North Korea, including imprisonment, death, and collective punishment of families, which makes the risk of defection extraordinarily high. Upon arrival in South Korea, most defectors undergo screening by intelligence agencies and then integrate into South Korean society, often referred to as "northern refugees" or "new settlers."
This week, it was revealed that North Korea is using remote information technology workers employed unwittingly by U.S. companies to fund its weapons programs. South Korea's President Lee Jae Myung has vowed a more dovish approach toward North Korea compared with his hawkish predecessor Yoon Suk Yeol. Relevant authorities will investigate the detailed circumstances of the incident.
- The recent political news of a North Korean soldier defecting to South Korea has shed light on the general-news story of North Korea using remote technology workers employed by U.S. companies to fund its weapons programs.
- Amidst the ongoing discussions in politics, the defected North Korean soldier's journey, involving technological challenges and risky navigation in the dense DMZ vegetation, serves as a stark reminder of the hardships faced by defectors seeking refuge in South Korea.
