A North Korean soldier successfully defected to South Korea early Tuesday morning, crossing the heavily fortified border in the eastern region of the Korean peninsula.
The soldier, reportedly a staff sergeant, entered Goseong county on the east coast and was apprehended by South Korean guards who had been observing his movements.
South Korean authorities are investigating the soldier’s motives for the crossing. This incident follows another defection earlier this month when a North Korean citizen crossed into the South on the West Coast, according to Reuters.
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While defections across the heavily guarded border are rare, most North Koreans who escape their country typically do so through China or other neighboring countries.
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