The number of North Korean defectors entering South Korea nearly doubled in the second quarter compared to the first three months of the year, Seoul’s unification ministry announced on Tuesday, as China’s relaxation of COVID-19 controls made it easier for escapees to reach the South.

A total of 65 defectors — 18 men and 47 women — arrived in the country between April and June, up from 34 in the first quarter. 

Ninety-nine North Koreans have arrived in South Korea so far this year, marking a “421% surge compared to the same period in the previous year,” the ministry