On June 13, a North Korean soldier in his early 20s was caught crossing the MDL or Military Demarcation Line in Yeoncheon. The soldier, who is 175cm (5'7") in height and 52kg (114lbs) in weight, was identified to be a North Korean border patrol. 

The soldier immediately raised his hands in the air and expressed his wish to surrender when spotted by the South Korean soldiers. He explained his strong wish to cross over to South Korea, and later further explained that his desires to do so grew stronger after listening to the stories by North Korean defectors aired through the South Korean loudspeaker broadcast aimed at the North. 

The soldier revealed to have left the military base after telling fellow North Korean soldiers that he's going out to get some wood. It's also revealed that the soldier confirmed his decision to cross over after a huge fire spread across the Korean Demilitarized Zone in April; believing that numerous landmine traps must've been destroyed by the fire. 

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The North Korean, who was suffering from hunger and poor environmental conditions, is now given an opportunity to a brand new life in South Korea.