By LEVI JOHNSON
SEOUL, South Korea — The South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) confirmed on Sunday that they have taken into custody a North Korean soldier who crossed the Military Demarcation Line (MDL) in the central front earlier in the day and expressed his intent to defect.
In a brief statement, the JCS said the military “identified and tracked the individual near the MDL, conducted a standard guidance operation, and secured custody.” It added that the soldier’s crossing into the southern zone of the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) and his subsequent transfer are now under investigation by relevant authorities.
“When our troops approached and identified themselves as South Korean soldiers, the individual immediately expressed intent to defect,” the JCS said.
According to officials, the soldier was found in the southern portion of the DMZ, safely taken into custody, and handed over to South Korea’s intelligence and security agencies for questioning.
This marks the first defection of a North Korean soldier under President Lee Jae-myung’s administration, and the third overall defection across the MDL this year.
Earlier incidents involved two civilians — one who crossed the central-western front on July 3, and another who was rescued in the Han River neutral zone on July 31.
The last recorded case of a North Korean military defection occurred more than a year ago, on August 20, 2024, when a North Korean sergeant crossed the border in Gangwon Province’s Goseong area.
As of press time, the JCS reported no unusual troop movements by North Korea following the incident.
