South Korean police have detained a North Korean defector who attempted to return to the North by stealing a bus and crashing it into a barricade on the heavily guarded border. The man, in his 30s, had defected to the South more than a decade ago, but South Korean authorities say he was apprehended early Tuesday, Oct. 2, near the Unification Bridge, which separates the two Koreas.
According to police, the defector stole the bus from a garage in Paju, a city near the border, around 1 a.m. local time. Security footage shows the man attempting to enter several vehicles before managing to drive away in the bus. He ignored military personnel at a checkpoint and crashed into a barricade on the bridge before being detained.
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The defector reportedly told police he wanted to return to North Korea after struggling to adjust to life in the South. He had been working various day labor jobs and had accumulated unpaid fines, according to South Korean media reports.
Police said the man was not under the influence of alcohol or drugs during the incident.
Defections from North Korea to South Korea are not uncommon, with more than 34,000 North Koreans fleeing to the South since the Korean Peninsula was divided. However, returns to the North are rare.
Between 2012 and 2022, only 31 defectors were reported to have returned, according to South Korea’s Unification Ministry. Some return due to economic hardship or the desire to reunite with family members still in the North.
Under South Korean law, it is illegal for citizens, including defectors, to cross the border into North Korea without government authorization. Violators face up to 10 years in prison.
The defector remains in police custody as authorities investigate possible charges, including vehicle theft, driving without a license, and violation of South Korea’s National Security Act.
