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Watch A North Korean Soldier's Risky Defection Across The DMZ

For the first time, the United Nations Command has released security footage of a North Korean's defection across the demilitarized zone.

By: Ryan Biek

Posted at 10:37 AM, Nov 22, 2017

For the first time, the United Nations Command released security footage showing a North Korean soldier's defection across the demilitarized zone.

The actual event took place Nov. 13, but the U.N. Command released its video Tuesday after investigating the incident.

The video shows the defector — a 24-year-old known as Oh — racing in a vehicle toward the South Korean border. North Korean soldiers chase him on foot and nearly catch up to him after his vehicle gets stuck.

The North Korean soldiers fire at Oh, hitting him with at least five bullets. Wounded, but safe behind a retaining wall on the South Korean side of the DMZ, South Korean soldiers drag Oh away from the scene.

According to the U.N. Command, North Korean soldiers violated the 1953 armistice agreement while pursing Oh — both by firing into South Korean territory and when one North Korean temporarily crossed the military demarcation line.

Oh underwent multiple surgeries, and according to his surgeon, he's expected to survive. Oh is reportedly the third member of North Korea's military to defect in 2017.