South Korean spy agency says North Korean soldier defects to South
By APTuesday, March 2, 2010
North Korean soldier defects to South Korea
SEOUL, South Korea — South Korea’s top spy agency says a North Korean soldier has defected to South Korea.
The National Intelligence Service said Wednesday that the North Korean soldier was being questioned over the reasons for his defection. It declined to give his name, rank or the date he defected.
The announcement came days after the North said it detained four South Koreans for illegally entering the country. The North did not identify the South Koreans or say when they allegedly entered North Korea.
South Korea’s Unification Ministry says more than 18,000 North Koreans have fled to the South since the 1950-53 Korean War — though they rarely cross the main border. The last soldiers to defect were in 2008.
