This archive report was first published on 1 August 2019.
On Wednesday night, a North Korean man was spotted moving towards the South after crossing the Military Demarcation Line inside the DMZ.
According to the military, the man was taken into custody in accordance with procedures.
"The unidentified person is a North Korean man and the relevant government agency is questioning him on how he crossed the border and his motives," the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) stated.
More than 30,000 North Koreans have escaped to the South since the two countries were separated by war over 65 years ago, with many driven by economic hardship.
Pyongyang is under heavy economic sanctions due to its nuclear tests and missile launches, with the latest occurring this week.
The North Korean regime has denounced defectors as "human scum," while contact between the North and South has been minimal since February's failed US-North Korea summit.
Published on August 1, 2019.
