North Korean Civilian Breaks Through Korea's Fortress Border

(MENAFN) A North Korean civilian shattered the heavily militarized inter-Korean boundary Friday in what military officials describe as a dramatic defection attempt across one of the world's most dangerous borders.

The man penetrated the Military Demarcation Line (MDL) under cover of darkness Thursday night, according to a Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) official cited by media.

South Korean forces had initially spotted the individual earlier that day positioned near a shallow waterway within the midwestern sector of the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), raising immediate security alerts.

Military personnel swiftly transferred the defector to appropriate authorities for comprehensive interrogation and processing, officials confirmed.

Seoul's defense establishment reported no abnormal North Korean military movements following the border breach, suggesting the crossing occurred without triggering broader escalation.

South Korean President Lee Jae-myung received urgent military briefings regarding the sensitive border incident, Presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung disclosed.

The crossing marks another rare civilian defection through the world's most heavily fortified frontier. Last August, a North Korean soldier successfully defected to South Korea by traversing the MDL in Goseong county's eastern region.

Such border crossings remain extraordinarily perilous due to extensive minefields, razor wire barriers, and round-the-clock surveillance systems deployed throughout the 160-mile DMZ separating the two Koreas.

The incident underscores persistent tensions along the divided peninsula despite recent diplomatic overtures between the neighboring nations.

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