September 19, 2024

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South Korean crosses armed border in uncommon defection to North

South Korea’s army stated the individual crossed the closely fortified border in an extraordinary defection to North Korea.

Report picture of Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) in South Korea | AP

A South Korean has crossed the closely fortified border in an extraordinary defection to North Korea, South Korea’s army stated on Sunday.

The Joint Chiefs of Personnel (JCS) stated it performed a seek operation after detecting the individual round 9:20 p.m. (1220 GMT) on Saturday at the japanese facet of the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) setting apart the 2 Koreas.

“We have now showed that the individual crossed the Army Demarcation Line border about 10:40 p.m. (1340 GMT) and defected to the North,” the JCS stated.

The JCS stated it would now not verify whether or not the individual was once alive, however despatched a understand to the North by means of an army hotline asking for defense.

The border crossing, which is unlawful in South Korea, got here as North Korea carries out strict anti-coronavirus measures since shutting borders in early 2020, regardless that it has now not showed any infections.

A public and political uproar emerged after North Korean troops shot useless a South Korean fisheries respectable who went lacking at sea in September 2020, for which Pyongyang blamed anti-virus laws and apologised.

Two months previous, North Korean chief Kim Jong Un declared a countrywide emergency and sealed off a border the town after a North Korean defector who he stated had COVID-19 signs illegally crossed the border into the North from the South.

The North’s extended lockdowns and restrictions on inter-provincial motion have additionally driven the selection of North Korean defectors arriving within the South to an rock bottom.

Pass-border members of the family soured after denuclearisation negotiations between Pyongyang and Washington stalled since a failed summit in 2019.

South Korea and a U.S.-led U.N. drive are technically nonetheless at warfare with North Korea because the 1950-1953 Korean Struggle led to an armistice reasonably than a peace treaty.

Additionally learn: Prepared to renew talks if South Korea drops hostility, says Kim Jong-Un’s sister

Additionally learn: Kim Jong-un carried out 7 in 3 years for observing South Korean movies, claims rights crew

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