North Korean soldiers forced to open fire when defecting to South Korea

North Korean border guards fired multiple shots at soldiers driving a vehicle across the border to South Korea.

South Korean rescuers carry a defected North Korean soldier to a hospital. Photo: Yonhap

A North Korean soldier was fighting for his life after being chased by border guards during his defection to South Korea across the demilitarized zone (DMZ) earlier this week, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said on November 14, according to Yonhap.

According to the JCS, at around 3:31 p.m. on November 13, South Korean border guards at the DMZ issued a combat alert after suddenly hearing multiple gunshots from a guard post on the North Korean side. Upon observation, they saw a North Korean soldier jogging across the demilitarized zone and collapsing on an open area, about 50 meters south of the demarcation line (MLD).

South Korean soldiers quickly crawled close to the ground, approached the injured North Korean soldier's position, and then brought him to a safe area behind the MLD at around 3:56 p.m.

After examining surveillance footage, the JCS confirmed that the low-ranking North Korean soldier attempted to defect by running away from the guard post and driving a military jeep across the DMZ. North Korean border guards spotted the defector and launched a pursuit, firing at the vehicle.

However, while crossing a ditch, a wheel came off, forcing the defector to abandon the vehicle and continue on foot toward South Korean territory. North Korean border guards continued to fire at the defector, firing a total of about 40 shots. The unarmed defector was hit in the shoulder and elbow.

South Korean soldiers stand guard at the demilitarized zone. Photo: Yonhap.

After being shot, the soldier managed to crawl to and hide behind a South Korean structure in the joint security area, thereby escaping further fire from North Korean border guards. He hid in a pile of leaves until he was rescued by South Korean soldiers.

The South Korean military said its soldiers did not fire any shots at the North Korean border, but only tried to rescue the defector. The North did not react further when it realized the soldier was being taken away by South Korean soldiers. A United Nations Command helicopter was dispatched to take the wounded soldier to hospital.

South Korean military medics confirmed that the North Korean soldier was shot five times and was in critical condition, unconscious and unable to breathe on his own. Doctors performed surgery and removed the bullets from his body. Doctors said the next 10 days after surgery would be crucial for the defector's fate, as his chances of dying were still high.

Dozens of North Korean soldiers have defected to South Korea across the demilitarized zone, about 2 kilometers wide on each side of the border between the two countries, over the years.

The most recent North Korean defection occurred in June 2017. A North Korean soldier in his early 20s defected to South Korea in June 2015. In 2012, a North Korean soldier walked through an electronic fence and bypassed surveillance cameras. The incident prompted Seoul to remove three area commanders for lax security.

Location of the demilitarized zone (DMZ) on the inter-Korean border. Graphics: CNN

According to VNE