NK Soldier Defects

[Anchor Lead]

A North Korean soldier defected from the North on Thursday by crossing over an eastern section of the military demarcation line. The South Korean military is investigating the case to find out the soldier's escape route and reason of his defection.

[Pkg]

The eastern front is located in a steep mountainous area in Hwacheon, Gangwon-do Province. At 10:03 a.m. Thursday the South Korean military guard spotted a North Korean soldier who had crossed over the military demarcation line. The initial response squad was dispatched immediately. After the soldier announced his intention to defect from the North, he was taken to the general outpost. At 10:12 a.m. the North Korean soldier safely passed through the South's barbed wire gate. This all happened just nine minutes after he entered South Korean territory.

[Soundbite] Seo Wook(Mjr. Gen., Joint Chiefs of Staff) : "The defected soldier is of a high rank (on par with South Korean private first class). He was wearing a military uniform but was unarmed."

The military is investigating the exact route and motivation of the soldier's escape. It's also closely monitoring the North Korean military to prepare for any contingencies. The first soldier, who was of a high rank, escaped from North Korea in June of last year through the same area. The South Korean military points to severe human rights violations in the North Korean military as the reason behind soldier defections. The soldier who defected last year said he decided to escape because he couldn't endure army violence anymore. The psychological effect of South Korea's loud speaker broadcasts in the inter-Korean border area cannot be ruled out, either. As more soldiers and civilians try to escape, North Korea has planted a large number of mines near the military demarcation line to prevent defections.