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View Full Version : North Korea soldier 'defects to South'

Gerald
10-06-12, 05:47 AM
A North Korean soldier has defected to the South across the two countries' heavily armed border, South Korean officials have said.

The soldier said he shot dead two officers before crossing over just after noon (03:00 GMT) on Saturday.

Our correspondent says defections across the land border are rare. The last soldier fled in 2010.

More than 20,000 North Koreans have gone to the South in the last 60 years, mostly via China and SE Asia.

The two countries are still technically at war after the 1950-53 conflict, which ended in a ceasefire not a peace treaty.
Gunshots heard: The soldier was quoted as saying that he killed his platoon and company commanders while on guard duty.

A defence ministry official said six gunshots were heard and guards saw the soldier cross the demarcation line on a western section of the tightly guarded border.

They used loudspeakers to establish that he wanted to defect and guide him to safety, they added.

The official said he was in protective custody and was still being interrogated.

There has been no confirmation of the North Korean casualties and no unusual activity observed on the North Korean side of the border.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-19855313


Note: 6 October 2012 Last updated at 09:16 GMT
Cybermat47
10-06-12, 05:52 AM
Ah, hope that guy has a good, southern life!
Gerald
10-06-12, 06:37 AM
Yea ...right :yep:
Cybermat47
10-06-12, 06:44 AM
It would be funny, if all the South Koreans were yokels. :D
Hottentot
10-06-12, 07:22 AM
Ah, hope that guy has a good, southern life!

Yeah, let's. Because of this a bunch of people, including his family, are not going to have even the usual Northern life.
Cybermat47
10-06-12, 07:25 AM
Oh.

I didn't think about that.

May God help them.
the_tyrant
10-06-12, 07:37 AM
Yeah, let's. Because of this a bunch of people, including his family, are not going to have even the usual Northern life.


Hopefully this guy is single than, no wife, children, and parents dead.
Hottentot
10-06-12, 07:43 AM
Hopefully this guy is single than, no wife, children, and parents dead.

Call me cynical, but I don't think that would stop the authorities there from finding the guilty if they so want. I mean, it doesn't take much imagination when this guy is a soldier.
Skybird
10-06-12, 10:10 AM
For principle reasons one has to examine whether he wanted to flee and for that had to shoot two men, or whether he had killed two men and then decided to flee. Sounds like a formality, but I think one has to gain certainty over this, as fare as possible: the North will not cooperate, but would try to manipulate in case of a request for assistance.
Jimbuna
10-06-12, 10:47 AM
Hopefully this guy is single than, no wife, children, and parents dead.

If that were the case I wouldn't be surprised if the NK looked at extended family...anyone really just to set an example and send out a warning to anyone else with similar ideas in their head.
gimpy117
10-06-12, 10:50 AM
my question is; what are they going to do about the 2 murders he committed?
was it self defense while he was running? or did he just off his two squad members and make a break for it?
Jimbuna
10-06-12, 12:05 PM
my question is; what are they going to do about the 2 murders he committed?
was it self defense while he was running? or did he just off his two squad members and make a break for it?

I wonder if both countries have an extradition agreement :03: