Several North Koreans who defected by boat earlier this month decided to escape because they were “disillusioned” with the regime and its strict COVID-19 regulations, Seoul’s intelligence agency told NK News on Friday.

Details about the defection comes a day after the ROK government confirmed that multiple North Koreans had crossed into South Korean waters off the west coast early this month and were intercepted by ROK border authorities. The Dong-A Ilbo newspaper, which first broke the story, reported that around 10 North Koreans were aboard the boat, including at least one child.