A North Korean defector in his 30s was caught by the South Korean police after attempting to cross the Unification Bridge in a stolen city bus.
The North Gyeonggi Province Police disclosed on October 1, 2024 (KST), that they are currently investigating Man A, who was transferred from the Paju Police Station after being arrested on theft charges.
Man A is accused of stealing a town-route bus from a bus garage in Paju City around 1 AM and driving it to the southern end of the Unification Bridge—where he was given warnings by a South Korean soldier on guard duty. Ignoring the warnings, Man A kept driving, and the bus was brought to a stop after he crashed into a barricade.
During the police questioning, Man A is reported to have said, “I did it because life in South Korea is difficult, and I want to return to North Korea.” According to additional news reports, Man A is known to have defected over a decade ago and had been living in Seoul until recently.
A police official stated, “Given Man A’s motives, actions, and statements, we may consider applying charges under the National Security Law.”
The northern section of Unification Bridge is off-limits to civilians, and passage is only allowed upon presentation of a special pass.
Watch Man A caught on CCTV here:
Source: Money Today and theqoo
