South Korea Records an Increase in Individuals Fleeing North Korea
A suspected North Korean refugee reportedly arrived in South Korea via the sea, as per Seoul's military announcements. The man was picked up by soldiers in mid-September and handed over to the appropriate departments, as the South Korean military stated. The South Korean media outlet Yonhap reported that the North Korean had defected to the South in a wooden boat.
South Korea reported two defectors from the North in August. One of them reportedly crossed the heavily armed land boundary, while the other made it to the South through the neutral zone at the Han River's mouth. Since the Korean Peninsula's political division during the Korean War in the early '50s, numerous North Koreans have fled to the South.
Following the start of the COVID-19 outbreak, the number of North Koreans making their way to the South dropped drastically. However, in 2023, this figure more than doubled compared to 2022: 196 individuals managed to escape last year, compared to 67 the year prior. According to South Korea's Ministry of Unification, the number of high-ranking North Korean defectors specifically saw an increase.
North Korea declared on a Wednesday that it would bolster its border defense against South Korea and sever communication links with the neighboring nation. Pyongyang intends to "completely sever the roads and railways connecting North and South Korea and reinforce the relevant areas on our side with robust defensive structures."
In July, Seoul disclosed that Pyongyang had planted tens of thousands of new landmines along the border in recent months.
The number of high-ranking North Korean defectors saw an increase in 2023, contributing to the higher total of 196 individuals who managed to escape to the South that year. Despite the decrease in defectors during the COVID-19 outbreak, several defectors, including those who are high-ranking, continue to defect, showcasing the persistent desire for change among some North Koreans.
