A US citizen crossed the border into North Korea during a visit to the demilitarised zone (DMZ) that separates it from its southern neighbour, and was apparently placed under arrest, the UN announced on Tuesday.
“A US citizen crossed the demarcation line” with North Korea without authorisation while on a visit to the “Joint Security Area”, the sector of the DMZ under UN control, the UN command post said.
"We believe he is currently in DPRK (North Korea) custody and are working with out KPA (North Korean military) counterparts to resolve this incident," the UN added.
The DMZ is the most heavily fortified border on Earth and splits the Korean Peninsula in two. It is filled with mines, barbed wire, and cameras. Soldiers patrol the border at all times.
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The last time a US citizen defected to North Korea was in 1982 when Joseph T. White, a UN Command soldier stationed at the border, ran across the DMZ and surrendered to North Korean troops.
