A North Korean civilian was taken into custody by South Korean forces early Thursday after making a rare defection across the heavily militarized Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) near the central-western front line between Yeoncheon and Paju in Gyeonggi Province, military officials said.
The man was first detected around 3 a.m. on July 4 by a South Korean soldier using thermal observation equipment. He was lying motionless in thick underbrush near a shallow river close to the Military Demarcation Line (MDL), in what officials said was an unverified minefield. The man was wearing civilian clothes and was unarmed.
The South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff stated that the man crossed the MDL at night and was tracked and secured near the border through a standard guidance operation.
The individual reportedly remained still throughout the day but attempted to move again after sunset. When South Korean troops approached to within 100 meters, the man called out, "Who are you?" A sergeant responded that they were with the South Korean military, and the man followed without resistance. The extraction operation lasted over 20 hours.
The DMZ, spanning approximately 150 miles in length and more than 2 miles in width, is considered one of the world's most fortified borders. The last known DMZ defection occurred in August 2023, when a North Korean soldier crossed into Goseong, Gangwon Province.
Fleeing through the DMZ is rare. Most North Korean defectors escape through China before making their way to a third country and ultimately to South Korea. According to South Korean data, more than 34,000 North Koreans have defected to the South in recent decades. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, more than 1,000 people made the journey annually. However, only 38 arrivals were recorded in the first quarter of 2025.
South Korea's Defense Ministry confirmed Friday that no unusual military activity had been observed from North Korea in connection with the defection.
