A North Korean soldier crossed the inter-Korean border on Sunday, the ROK military confirmed, in an apparent defection attempt through the heavily fortified area separating the two Korean states.

The ROK military “secured the custody of a North Korean soldier” who crossed the Military Demarcation Line (MDL) at the central section of the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) earlier in the day, the ROK’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) confirmed to NK News.

“The military identified the individual near the MDL, tracked and monitored him, conducting a normal guidance operation to secure custody,” the military said, adding that relevant authorities are