DPRK defector ‘undetected’

SEOUL: A North Korean defector wore a diving suit and fins during a daring six-hour swim around one of the world´s most fortified borders, a Seoul official said, and was caught only after apparently falling asleep.

Bungling South Korean forces did not spot the man’s audacious exploit despite him appearing several times on CCTV after he landed and triggering alarms, drawing heavy criticism from media and opposition MPs.

Even after his presence was noticed, the man — who used diving gear to make his way by sea around the Demilitarized Zone that divides the peninsula — was not caught for another three hours.

The man, reportedly in his 20s, landed north of the town of Goseong on the east coast. “He presumably had swum for about six hours, wearing a padded jacket inside a diving suit and fins. His clothing appeared to have kept him warm and allowed him to stay afloat,” an unnamed Joint Chiefs of Staff official was quoted as saying by Yonhap news agency on

Wednesday.