North Korean soldier who defected to South Korea was shot and seriously injured.

A North Korean soldier defected to South Korea today (November 13) through the joint security area of ​​the inter-Korean Demilitarized Zone and was seriously wounded.

According to Yonhap news agency, the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said that the soldier was shot by North Korean gunfire while defecting. He was later taken to a hospital in South Korea for treatment.

South Korean and North Korean soldiers in the Panmunjom area. Photo: Reuters

A South Korean military official said the incident happened at around 3:31 p.m. this afternoon (November 13 local time).

North Korea has yet to respond to the report. The incident occurred as South Korean and US naval forces were conducting joint exercises.

According to Vietnamnet