A North Korean soldier defects to South Korea across the MDL
- Doyoung Lim
- Oct 22
- 1 min read
Oct 22, 2025
Doyoung Lim
A North Korean soldier defected to South Korea through the Military Demarcation Line (MDL) on Sunday, South Korea’s military said. According to the JCS, the military identified and tracked personnel in the MDL area, secured the custody, and the relevant agencies will investigate the detailed process of moving south.
The Northern soldier was found in the southern area of the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). When the South Korean military team approached and asked, “We are South Korean soldiers, what is your purpose for coming here?” The North Korean soldier expressed intent to defect. Afterward, the military handed the case over to the relevant authorities.
Earlier, one man from North Korea crossed the MDL in the central-western front on July 3, and on the 31st of the same month. Another male civilian was rescued from the south of the Han River neutral zone.
This is the first defection of a North Korean soldier in approximately one year and two months. In August of last year, a North Korean military soldier crossed the DMZ into the Gangwon Province Goseong area.
