Very Rare Incident, North Korean Soldier Managed An Escape To South Korea

The known demilitarized zone border between North and South Korea is considered the most secure in the world and hard to pass. However, a North Korean soldier has now achieved this feat.

For the first time since the recent elimination of border guards on the divided peninsula, a North Korean soldier has fled to the south. This reports the South Korean news agency "Yonhap", citing the army leadership in Seoul. The soldier had crossed the military demarcation line on Friday morning (local time) and should now be heard, it was said.

It is very rare that Korean soldiers overrun the extremely guarded land border of both countries over the long term. Most North Koreans choose to flee across China, which shares a 100-kilometer land border with North Korea.

Border guards were demolished
After the heavy tensions of recent years due to the numerous nuclear and missile tests of North Korea, the leaders in Seoul and Pyongyang had recently come closer. It was not until Friday that both countries ended their work to dismantle guards in the border area, on each side of the demilitarized zone ten such posts were demolished, it said.

In the weeks before, both countries had also withdrawn parts of their troops and weapons from a few posts. The measures are part of an agreement to reduce military tensions that the army leaderships of both countries signed in September.

Francis Tawiah (Duisburg - Germany)