New Defector Attempts to Cross into North Korea from Cheorwon This Time

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Yang Nak-gyu, Military Specialist Reporter] A Saeteomin who defected from North Korea two years ago was caught attempting to cross into North Korea on the 17th in the front-line area of Gangwon Province. This is the second case in two months following Saeteomin Kim, who crossed into North Korea via Ganghwa Island in July.

According to intelligence authorities on the 18th, Mr. A, in his mid-30s, trespassed into the Army 3rd Division's Jipori shooting range located in Cheorwon County, Gangwon Province, around 9 a.m. the previous day. This shooting range is 14 km away from the Civilian Control Line.

Lieutenant Colonel B, commander of the 3rd Division's Tank Battalion, discovered Mr. A wandering around while inspecting the shooting range to prepare for tank battalion firing training. Lieutenant Colonel B informed Mr. A that the area was a "civilian access restricted zone" and told him to leave the shooting range. However, Mr. A was unable to give a clear response and spoke incoherently. Finding this suspicious, Lieutenant Colonel B handed Mr. A over to the nearby Galmal Police Station, and the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency's Security Investigation Unit dispatched officers to transport him.

Mr. A is known to be a Saeteomin who defected in 2018 and currently resides in Seoul. Investigations revealed that Mr. A recently divorced and told acquaintances that he planned to cross into North Korea via Harbin, China. Considering that Mr. A served as a North Korean soldier in the Cheorwon area before defecting and was found carrying a cutter, camcorder, and mobile phone, the police plan to continue counterintelligence investigations.

Mr. A reportedly claimed to the police that he was moving to hike Myeongseongsan Mountain and entered the shooting range without knowing what it was.