A North Korean, who fled from North Korea to South Korea in early November, jumped over a three-meter fence while crossing the border. This is reported by The Korea Herald, citing a Seoul official familiar with the situation.
The fugitive explained that he used to be a gymnast. According to the newspaper, a man of short stature, a little over 20 years old is under investigation in Seoul – the authorities are trying to find out the motives for his escape. The North Korean was twice forced to jump over the fence to confirm his words about crossing the border; according to one version, he could climb the fence using a steel pole and jump to the ground from the barbed wire.
According to the border guards, they did not find any external changes in the design of the fence. However, according to them, the barbed wire from above looked “pressed”. At the moment, the military is figuring out why the fence sensors did not work. Authorities believe the lightweight and athletic background could indeed have helped the North Korean cross the border.
A DPRK citizen, according to Chosun Ilbo newspaper, crossed the border with South Korea on November 3. He was held in the demilitarized zone in Gangwon Province and was detained only 14 hours later. The man said he was seeking refuge. The defector incident became a reason for criticism of the military – they were accused of a belated reaction.
In September, a North Korean defector was arrested in South Korea who wanted to return. The man fled North Korea in 2018 and settled in Seoul. On September 17, he was caught in the border area, with four mobile phones found with him.
