Did Loudspeakers Toward North Korea Work?…20s North Korean Soldier Defects to South (Comprehensive)

Military: "Tracking since moving south... Operation underway"
On the 8th, a North Korean resident also defected across the Han River

In the early dawn of the 20th, one North Korean soldier crossed the Military Demarcation Line (MDL) in the Gangwon region and defected. The individual is known to be in their 20s and belongs to the so-called North Korean version of the MZ generation (Millennial + Z generation), known as the Jangmadang generation, which is reported to have significant dissatisfaction with the Party and the leader. Following the defection of a North Korean resident through the Han River estuary on the 8th, the consecutive defections of young soldiers have led to speculation that the loudspeakers broadcasting to the North, operated by our military across all fronts, may have had an influence.

North Korean soldier defection
Image source: Yonhap News Agency

According to the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the military authorities secured the identity of one individual presumed to be from North Korea on the eastern front early that morning and handed them over to relevant agencies. A Joint Chiefs official stated, "Details regarding the southward movement and the background of the defection are under investigation by relevant agencies, so we cannot confirm specifics."

A military official explained, "One North Korean soldier crossed the MDL and expressed their intention to defect early this morning. Our military tracked and monitored the individual from the time they moved southward from north of the eastern front MDL, conducted a normal defection inducement operation, and successfully secured the person."

The North Korean soldier is understood to have defected on foot in the operational area of the Army's 22nd Division around Goseong County, Gangwon Province. The individual was wearing a military uniform at the time of defection and held the rank of sergeant. This area had infrastructure such as roads developed during past inter-Korean tourism exchanges. Recently, North Korea has been conducting mine-laying and barren land work in this region, and there have been indications that multiple soldiers died due to mine explosions during this process.

The military authorities also consider the full-scale operation of loudspeakers broadcasting to the North across all fronts in response to North Korea's release of waste balloons as a contributing factor. Another military official said, "Psychological warfare through broadcasts to the North usually takes about three months to show effects," adding, "While the exact background of the defection will only be known after the joint interrogation, we cannot rule out the influence of the broadcasts." The broadcast sent on the 18th included content related to the '8.15 Unification Doctrine.'

Meanwhile, on the 8th, one North Korean resident also defected southward by crossing the North-South neutral zone in the Han River estuary.