North Korea Makes Changes at Border After Defection

Photo Credit: Getty Images

North Korea is trying to make sure that no others will be able to defect the way that a young soldier did last week. The fixes aren't exactly high-tech: North Korean soldiers were seen digging a big trench in the border area where the soldier first drove and then ran to freedom, reports Reuters. They also planted trees, apparently to prevent vehicles from getting through in the future. Finally, North Korea also seems to have replaced all of its border security guards, reports the Yonhap news agency, which surmises that any officers involved are in for serious punishment. 

Details and developments:

  • The soldier: "He's a pretty nice guy," the lead South Korean surgeon says of the 24-year-old defector, identified only by the name "Oh." The patient likes Bruce Almighty and CSI, though USA Today notes it's unclear whether he saw that US movie and show in the hospital or previously in North Korea on the black market. Oh faces a long recuperation, having been shot at least five times. One bullet decimated his colon.
  • The surgeon: The incident has put the spotlight, again, on 48-year-old trauma surgeon Lee Cook-jong. Lee is the one giving regular updates after the surgeries he performs, and the Washington Post reports that he previously became a "national hero" in 2011 when he saved the life of a ship captain shot by Somali pirates. Lee, blind in one eye, also served as the inspiration for a character in the drama Romantic Doctor, Teacher Kim, which was released last year and gave him certifiable celeb status.
  • Next for Oh: The surgeon, taking note of Oh's "jarhead" haircut, jokingly suggested that Oh eventually join the South Korean military: "He smiled and said that he would never ever go back to the military system again." When he's stronger, Oh will be debriefed. Then he'll get help with housing, education, and job training from the South Korean government, reports the Guardian.

Read the full story on Newser.com


More From Newser



Sponsored Content

Sponsored Content