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Defector who attempted to return to North gets suspended sentence

Published: 09 Jun. 2025, 16:51 Updated: 09 Jun. 2025, 18:18

A view of a barricade installed in front of the Unification Bridge in Paju, Gyeonggi, on April 23 [NEWS1]

A North Korean defector who attempted to return to the North by stealing a village bus and crashing it into a military checkpoint near the inter-Korean border in October of last year received a suspended prison sentence, a South Korean court announced Monday.

The Goyang Branch of the Uijeongbu District Court sentenced the man to two years in prison with a three-year suspension.

The court also imposed a two-year restriction on his civil rights. He had been detained and charged with violating the National Security Act and the Protection of Military Bases and Installations Act.

The defector, a man in his 30s, stole a village bus from a depot in Munsan-eup, Paju, Gyeonggi, around 1 a.m. on Oct. 1, 2024, according to court documents.

He then drove the vehicle about 4.5 kilometers (3 miles) toward the southern end of the Unification Bridge, part of the route leading to the demilitarized zone. He avoided a barricade and continued another 800 meters before slamming into a second blockade at the northern checkpoint. Military personnel arrested him on the scene.

The defector, originally from Hyesan in North Korea’s Ryanggang Province, fled the country alone in December 2011 and resettled in South Korea.

Since his arrival, he had worked as a day laborer at construction sites but faced growing economic and health challenges after injuring his leg in 2018. He later lived in a budget housing unit in southern Seoul’s Gwanak District, receiving state welfare benefits.

A view of a barricade installed in front of the Unification Bridge in Paju, Gyeonggi, on Oct. 16, 2024 [YONHAP]

Investigators said the man experienced mounting isolation, financial strain and declining health, which contributed to his decision to defect back to North Korea.

His longing for his family in the North intensified over time. The court noted that the man’s decision to go back came after he saw news of U.S. soldier Pvt. Travis King, who crossed into North Korea via Panmunjom in July 2023. The defector reportedly searched for Panmunjom’s location using Google Earth at an internet cafe.

In September 2023, after being told to vacate his residence due to unpaid rent, the man-made up his mind to carry out the plan.

Before the attempt, he visited a local community center to inquire about emergency welfare assistance and reportedly told a government worker, “I think I had illusions about life in South Korea. I think living in North Korea is better than living in South Korea. I miss my family in the North. I want to go back.”

In its ruling, the court acknowledged that the man did not act out of political motivation or with the intent to support North Korea.

“This case does not appear to stem from a desire to praise or support North Korea as an antistate organization,” the court wrote. “Rather, it reflects the challenges faced by North Korean defectors in adapting to South Korean society. It is one of the issues that South Korea must address as it prepares for reunification.”

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY JEONG JAE-HONG [[email protected]]