The unidentified person who crossed the heavily guarded border into North Korea on New Year’s Day was “presumably” a high-profile defector who previously crossed into South Korea around a year earlier, according to Seoul’s Ministry of National Defense (MND) on Monday.
But a ministry official denied that the redefector was a DPRK spy, after South Korean authorities detected four individuals from North Korea near the demilitarized zone (DMZ) following the border crossing. The ministry said it can’t “specify” that they were there to pick up the border crosser, but that the person did not have a job that would give them access to sensitive information.
The unidentified person who crossed the heavily guarded border into North Korea on New Year’s Day was “presumably” a high-profile defector who previously crossed into South Korea around a year earlier, according to Seoul’s Ministry of National Defense (MND) on Monday.
But a ministry official denied that the redefector was a DPRK spy, after South Korean authorities detected four individuals from North Korea near the demilitarized zone (DMZ) following the border crossing. The ministry said it can’t “specify” that they were there to pick up the border crosser, but that the person did not have a job that would give them access to sensitive information.
Become a member for less than $4 per week.
Unlimited access to all of NK News: reporting, investigations, analysis
The NK News Daily Update, an email newsletter to keep you in the loop
Searchable archive of all content, photo galleries, special columns
Contact NK News reporters with tips or requests for reporting
Get unlimited access to all NK News content, including original reporting, investigations, and analyses by our team of DPRK experts.
Subscribe now
All major cards accepted. No commitments – you can cancel any time.