North Korean Soldier defected through the DMZ, gets shot while trying to escape

A North Korean soldier succeeded in escaping to South Korea through the heavily guarded Joint Security Area (JSA) in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ).

The soldier left his guard post on the North Korean side and bolted to the Southern border.

The North Korean military shot gunfire to stop him.

The soldier was found on the ground, wounded and bleeding from gunshots, 50m south from the borderline.

South Korean military dragged him to a safer area to prevent him from possible additional gunfire.

Fortunately, no other gunfire was exchanged between the two sides of the military due to this incident.

The soldier was unarmed in his military uniform, as he was sent straight to the hospital by helicopter.

He had at least 5-6 gunfire wounds, but luckily they were not serious enough to cost him his life.

During the investigation,  this soldier revealed why he chose to defect from his country.

“I griefed the disastrous situation that my country is in and decided to leave the country.”

— Defected Soldier

The defected soldier’s identity is still unidentified, but he will be under the South Korean government’s aid throughout his recovery process.

Source: Korea Times