North Korean escapee detained after attempting to flee the South in stolen bus



News North Korean escapee detained after attempting to flee the South in stolen bus Police say defector cited difficulties adapting to life in ROK as reason for trying to return across inter-Korean border Ifang Bremer \| Joon Ha Park October 2, 2024 SHARE COPY LINK FACEBOOK X LINKEDIN MASTODON A barricade on the Unification Bridge \| Image: Gyeonggi Province A North Korean escapee living in South Korea attempted to drive a stolen bus across the demilitarized zone (DMZ) on Tuesday, telling authorities he sought to return home after struggling to live in the South for a decade. The man is now in ROK police custody, and he could face years behind bars if convicted of attempting to cross the inter-Korean border without permission. The incident began around 1 a.m. KST on Tuesday when the escapee stole a bus from a gas station parking lot in Paju, a city near the border with North Korea and then drove toward the © Korea Risk Group. All rights reserved. No part of this content may be reproduced, distributed, or used for commercial purposes without prior written permission from Korea Risk Group. Get the Daily Update Start your day with the North Korea stories that matter most – as selected by Trending

News

North Korean escapee detained after attempting to flee the South in stolen bus

Police say defector cited difficulties adapting to life in ROK as reason for trying to return across inter-Korean border

Ifang Bremer | Joon Ha Park October 2, 2024

North Korean escapee detained after attempting to flee the South in stolen bus

A barricade on the Unification Bridge | Image: Gyeonggi Province

A North Korean escapee living in South Korea attempted to drive a stolen bus across the demilitarized zone (DMZ) on Tuesday, telling authorities he sought to return home after struggling to live in the South for a decade.

The man is now in ROK police custody, and he could face years behind bars if convicted of attempting to cross the inter-Korean border without permission.

The incident began around 1 a.m. KST on Tuesday when the escapee stole a bus from a gas station parking lot in Paju, a city near the border with North Korea and then drove toward the

About the Authors

Ifang Bremer

Ifang Bremer is a former Seoul Correspondent at NK News. He has worked on investigations for The Guardian and The Observer and previously wrote features on Korea for Dutch newspaper NRC.

View more articles by Ifang Bremer EMAIL Twitter Got a news tip?Let us know!

Joon Ha Park

Joon Ha Park is a correspondent at Korea Risk Group. He has previously written on issues related to the two Koreas at The Peninsula Report, and appeared on ABC News Australia, Deutsche Welle and Monocle Radio. He specializes in offering in-depth analyses of South Korea’s defense policy, security relations and domestic politics for Korea Pro.

View more articles by Joon Ha Park EMAIL Twitter Got a news tip?Let us know!