June 25, 2026
SEOUL – A North Korean soldier is under investigation after crossing the Military Demarcation Line into South Korea on Tuesday night, Seoul’s military said Wednesday.
The Joint Chiefs of Staff said it secured custody of the North Korean soldier along the central section of the de facto inter-Korean border on Tuesday night.
“Relevant details are under investigation by related authorities,” the JCS said in a statement.
The soldier is believed to have expressed a wish to defect to South Korea, according to military sources.
The MDL runs along the Demilitarized Zone, roughly 50 kilometers from Seoul and about 150 kilometers from Pyongyang.
This marks the fourth known case of a North Korean crossing into South Korea since the Lee Jae Myung administration began in June 2025, and the second involving a North Korean military service member.
In October last year, another North Korean soldier crossed the MDL along the central section of the border and expressed a wish to defect. The South Korean military secured custody of the soldier and handed them over to the relevant authorities.
On July 3 last year, a North Korean civilian crossed the MDL along the central-western section of the border. On July 31, another North Korean civilian was rescued by the South Korean military south of the median line in neutral waters of the Han River estuary.
Military and intelligence authorities are believed to be looking into the latest soldier’s unit, rank and motive for crossing the border.