Three apparent defectors from North Korea were found on Friday morning, two in the West Sea and one in Gangwon Province, a day after a show of inter-Korean unity marking the fifth anniversary of the June 15 Joint Declaration came to an end in Pyongyang. Police and military officials are investigating how the three crossed the DMZ and whether they intended to defect.
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Soldiers on Friday patrol the village of Daema in Choelwon County, Gangwon Province where a North Korean defector was discovered earlier that day.
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Early on Friday morning, a 65-year-old Cheolwon County resident found a North Korean in his 20s identified as Lee sitting in the driver's seat of his cargo truck. Choelwon County last October saw an individual cut holes in three wire fences marking the DMZ in an apparent attempt to defect in the opposite direction. If Lee came south by cutting through the DMZ's wire fences, it would suggest the South Korean military is less than fully alert in carrying out its duties and could earn the local commanding officer a severe reprimand.
Lee, who was wearing a Kim Jong-il badge when he was found, told interrogators he came down from Pyongyang ¡°and starved for 10 days.¡± After crossing the DMZ, he said he spent four days in the truck, he said.
The discovery of a substantial hoard of instant noodle packets and Choco Pies in the truck has focused criticism on the fact that Lee remained unnoticed by police or the military for all that time. The North Korean was found this side of the Civilian Control Line (CCL), which is about three or four km south of the DMZ.
Lee said he went into the army when he was 17, but got sick last year and was discharged.
Meanwhile, the Navy and police were alerted at 8:24 a.m. that a 5 m x 3 m dinghy was floating in the waters 2.5 miles off Baengnyeon Island. Its passengers were a 43-year-old man identified by his family name of Choi and his wife, who reportedly told maritime police, "We will not go back to North Korea." Police took the Chois and their boat to Baengnyeong Island, where the couple are being questioned.
(englishnews@chosun.com )
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