In a rare direct defection across the heavily fortified frontier between the Koreas, the South Korean military detained a North Korean soldier who crossed the heavily fortified demilitarised zone (DMZ) that separates the two countries, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JSC) said on Thursday.
The soldier expressed his intention to defect to South Korea, the JSC said later.
The unidentified active-duty soldier was first detected by thermal imaging equipment moving south near the Imjin River late on Wednesday and South Korean troops took him into custody just before midnight, the JCS said.