North Korean Soldier Defects to South Korea, Crossing Militarized Border in Goseong County

A North Korean soldier reportedly defected to South Korea early on Tuesday, crossing the heavily guarded border in the eastern region of the Korean peninsula, as per a report by Yonhap news agency, quoting the South's military. 

North Korean soldier defects to the South

The soldier's defection took place in Goseong county located on the eastern coast, which directly borders North Korea. Upon crossing the border, the soldier was apprehended by South Korean personnel who had been closely monitoring his movements, as reported by the news agency. According to a South Korean defence ministry official, the military took into custody an individual, believed to be North Korean, at the eastern front. The authorities are currently interrogating the defector to ascertain the motives behind the crossing. The official, however, refrained from disclosing further details. Identity and Rarity of Defections Initial reports suggest that the defecting North Korean soldier held the rank of staff sergeant. It is noteworthy that earlier this month, a North Korean resident defected to the South via the west coast. Attempts to defect across the border are considered risky and are relatively infrequent. Most individuals seeking to escape from North Korea typically make their way to the South through China or other third countries. (Reporting by Jack Kim; Editing by Ed Davies)