South Korean authorities have detained a North Korean defector who attempted to cross the heavily fortified border back into North Korea using a stolen bus. The incident occurred on Tuesday at the Unification Bridge, where the defector ignored soldiers’ commands to stop and crashed the bus into a barricade.
While around 34,000 North Koreans have defected to South Korea since the peninsula was divided over 70 years ago, incidents of defectors trying to return to the North are quite uncommon. The man, in his 30s, expressed to police his desire to return home after facing difficulties in South Korea, having originally left North Korea about a decade ago.
He reportedly stole the bus from a garage in the northern city of Paju around 1:00 AM local time and was apprehended approximately half an hour later. Surveillance footage captured him wearing a hat while attempting to access various vehicles before successfully entering the bus. Reports indicate that he was not under the influence of alcohol or drugs during the incident.
Having worked as a day laborer in Paju and other areas, the defector mentioned to authorities that he had accumulated several unpaid fines. South Korean law prohibits any unauthorized crossing into North Korea, and defectors in the South automatically receive citizenship. If convicted, individuals can face up to ten years in prison.
South Korea typically sees over 1,000 defectors each year; however, only 31 defectors returned to North Korea from 2012 to 2022, according to the Unification Ministry. Some defectors choose to return due to unmet expectations in the South, where they earn an average monthly income of about 2.3 million won ($1,740; £1,300). Others may wish to reunite with family members.
Nevertheless, returning to North Korea carries significant risks. Some defectors have faced imprisonment, while others have undergone strict re-education upon their return. For instance, in January 2022, a defector who returned after a year in the South reported struggling to make a living, which contributed to his decision to go back.
