A North Korean defector living in South Korea was detained on Tuesday after ramming a stolen bus into a barricade on a bridge near the heavily militarized border, in an apparent attempt to get back to the North, Yonhap news agency reported.

The incident took place at around 1:30 a.m. (16:30 GMT on Monday) at the Tongil Bridge in Paju, northwest of the capital Seoul, after the man ignored warnings from soldiers guarding the bridge and attempted to drive through, Yonhap said, citing city police.

Paju police referred queries on the incident to provincial police authorities. The northern Gyeonggi police agency could not be reached for comment.

The man aged in his 30s who had defected more than a decade ago told police that he was trying to return to North Korea after struggling to settle in the South, the report said.

  • driving_crooner
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    2 months ago

    You would guess that someone who scape north Korea would had some benefits for reintegration, akin Cubans thar manage to get into mainland US. At least for the propaganda, you can bet NK is going to use him as example of why there better that SK.

    • cheese_greater@lemmy.world
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      2 months ago

      I mean, as a serious vignette/discussion piece here:

      South Korea: you’re dumped from the North to South Korea, you’re un(der)-educated and no money, skills, culture etc. What do/happens?

      North Korea: same deal but in reverse from South Korea. What happens/do?

      Asian countries honestly seem pretty bad in terms of if you lose your job or never get settled or have any criminal setbacks. There’s just no do-overs it seems