By Alex Jensen
SEOUL (AA) – A North Korean soldier crossed one of the most world’s most tense borders in full daylight Thursday, as South Korea’s military confirmed that he is under investigation.
The South’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) revealed that the soldier passed through the military demarcation line that cuts through the inter-Korean Demilitarized Zone at around 10 a.m. (0100GMT).
It represents a rare case as most defections from the North occur along the reclusive state’s border with China.
“Our military is questioning the soldier to determine why he defected,” the JCS was quoted as saying by South Korean news agency Yonhap.
North Korea appears to be struggling to control its borders while dealing with strengthened sanctions that are set to get even tougher.
The United Nations Security Council is in line to bolster the resolution it agreed in March following the North’s fifth ever nuclear test earlier this month.
Reports have unveiled a series of high-profile defections — from officials to overseas laborers to a teenage mathematics prodigy.
The Seoul-based NK Refugees Human Rights Association recently claimed that there are more than 30 defections happening every day, compared with up to 20 per month before heavy flooding struck at the end of last month.
