North Korean swims to South, second defection under Lee administration

A North Korean defected to South Korea across the West Sea late last month — the second defection under the Lee Jae Myung administration, following the case of a man who crossed the Military Demarcation Line on the central western front on July 3.

North Korean residents are seen working on their farms, as observed from South Korea's city of Paju, Gyeonggi, on July 29. [YONHAP]

A North Korean defected to South Korea across the West Sea late last month — the second defection under the Lee Jae Myung administration, following the case of a man who crossed the Military Demarcation Line on the central western front on July 3.

According to the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) on Thursday, the military collected the defector in the Han River estuary’s neutral waters around dawn on July 31 and handed him over to the relevant authorities.

The man is believed to have swum to Korea from the waters off Gyodong Island in Ganghwa County, Incheon, using plastic foam tied to his body.

The 2nd Marine Division reportedly detected the man using surveillance equipment and began closely monitoring him from north of the Northern Limit Line. After the man crossed the maritime border, troops secured him and turned him over to the authorities.

Gyodong Island is the northernmost island in the West Sea and lies just 2.5 kilometers (1.6 miles) from Yeonan County in North Korea’s South Hwanghae Province. In August last year, another North Korean resident defected on foot via the neutral waters near the island.

“The military identified the individual in the neutral waters of the Han River, tracked and monitored the movement, and secured custody,” said the JCS. “There were no unusual activities by the North Korean military.”

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff. BY KIM EUN-BIN [yoon.soyeon@joongang.co.kr]