North Korean soldier defects South across heavily fortified border

Soldier was first reported defection to South Korea across 248-kilometre-long militarised zone since August 2024

A North Korean soldier defected to South Korea across the rivals' heavily fortified border on Sunday, South Korea's military said.

The military took custody of the soldier who crossed the central portion of the land border, South Korea's joint chiefs of staff said in a statement. It said the soldier expressed a desire to resettle in South Korea.