North Koreans are probably fleeing to South Korea.
Since last year, more people from North Korea are reaching South Korea. Most flee overland and through third countries. It is reported that a North Korean has managed to cross the intra-Korean maritime border. The case is under investigation.
A North Korean is said to have defected to South Korea by crossing the heavily guarded intra-Korean maritime border. The man reportedly crossed the mouth of the Han River in the western part of the Korean Peninsula and eventually reached the South Korean island of Gyodong, according to South Korea's Yonhap news agency, citing military sources.
The background of the incident is being investigated by the Ministry of Defense. Before the COVID-19 pandemic and North Korea's subsequent border closure, many North Koreans left their impoverished and authoritarian country each year in search of a better life. Sea-based escape attempts were relatively rare, with most fleeing over the border into China. Many of them later made their way to South Korea.
Since last year, the number of North Korean defectors arriving in South Korea has been increasing. According to figures from the Ministry of Unification in Seoul, a total of 105 North Koreans reached the southern neighbor in the first half of 2024.
The Ministry of Unification in Seoul is handling the influx of North Korean defectors, primarily through land and third countries. The Commission is closely monitoring this situation to ensure the safe integration of these individuals into South Korean society.
