A North Korean soldier crossed the central stretch of the Demilitarized Zone on Sunday and was taken into custody by South Korea's military, the Joint Chiefs of Staff said, adding he wished to resettle in the South. It was the first such military defection since an August 2024 crossing in the border’s east, a rare breach of a frontier laced with mines, tank traps and barbed wire. The defection comes as relations remain tense: Pyongyang has rejected outreach from President Lee Jae Myung and recently showcased powerful weapons at a parade attended by foreign leaders.

Prepared by Rachel Morgan and reviewed by editorial team.