The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
  • World Expo 2030
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
  • Hangzhou Asian Games
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_X_on_2023.svgbt_X_over_2023.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
  • World Expo 2030
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
  • Hangzhou Asian Games
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_X_on_2023.svgbt_X_over_2023.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
  • Login
  • Register
  • Login
  • Register
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
  • 1

    BTS' V and BLACKPINK's Jennie break up: sources

  • 3

    Italy withdraws from China's Belt and Road project

  • 5

    Uncertainty lingers despite BLACKPINK's contract renewal

  • 7

    YG Entertainment's stock price soars over renewed contract with BLACKPINK

  • 9

    TvN's upcoming music drama 'Maestra' weaves suspenseful love story with twists

  • 11

    KAI boosts partnerships with Egypt at defense fair

  • 13

    Rising Thai politician seeks to tackle growing challenges between Seoul, Bangkok

  • 15

    INTERVIEWNamseoul University leads adoption of innovative IB education programs

  • 17

    Apple ordered to pay 70,000 won each to 7 iPhone users for device slowdown

  • 19

    Real estate project financing poses biggest risk to Korean economy in 2024: S&P, NICE

  • 2

    Korea could disappear from map if it doesn't welcome more immigrants: justice minister

  • 4

    Late K-pop star Moonbin's memorial space shut down after fans complain

  • 6

    Korean students rank among top performers among OECD nations in educational performance: report

  • 8

    Senior citizens take up half of new job posts in 2022: data

  • 10

    Boeing eyes more Chinook helicopter exports to S. Korea

  • 12

    Yoon expected to replace foreign minister soon

  • 14

    INTERVIEWKorea has great opportunity to lead green transition

  • 16

    Twitch plans to shut down in Korea over high network costs

  • 18

    Hotels grapple with chronic staff shortages

  • 20

    Naver takes on YouTube, AfreecaTV in game streaming

Close scrollclosebutton

Close for 24 hours

Open
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
Fri, December 8, 2023 | 08:28
-------------------------
Military Criticized for Border Security Loophole
Posted : 2009-10-28 19:30
Updated : 2009-10-28 19:30
Print PreviewPrint Preview
Font Size UpFont Size Up
Font Size DownFont Size Down
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • kakaolink
  • whatsapp
  • reddit
  • mailto
  • link
By Jung Sung-ki
Staff Reporter

The military has been under fire for a lapse in border security, following the recent defection by a man to North Korea.

The 30-year-old, identified by his surname Kang, defected to the communist North after cutting through the barbed wire fence along the eastern Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) that divides the two Koreas.

Col. Park Sung-woo, spokesman for the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters Wednesday that investigators confirmed that Kang, who has been on a police wanted list for an assault incident since Sept. 25, fled to the North.

``It was cut from south to north,'' Park said, adding that the investigation was ongoing.

``After the investigation, those responsible will be sternly disciplined and the border security system will be reviewed thoroughly,'' he said.

The North's official Korea Central News Agency said Kang crossed into North Korea Monday and was in the country's ``war care.''

The agency said Kang had harbored a ``longing'' for North Korea and tried to defect several times while serving in the South Korean Army between 2001 and 2003.

The South Korean military said Kang had formerly served in an Army division near where the fence was found cut.

In South Korea, all able-bodied men over 19 are obliged to serve in the military for 24-27 months.

Both Koreas remain technically at war since the 1950-53 Korean War ended in a truce, not a permanent peace treaty.

The DMZ is guarded by hundreds of thousands of combat-ready troops on both sides. The 2.5-mile-wide (4-kilometer-wide) DMZ is also strewn with land mines and laced with barbed wire.

South Korea had sought to establish an unmanned electronic border-security system but the plan was halted last year after related equipment was found to be ``unfit for combat.''

Seoul initiated the program in June 2006 as part of efforts to develop its manpower-based military into a smaller but stronger one equipped with high-tech weapon systems.

It also aimed to bolster the defense of border areas, after an intrusion by a North Korean soldier through the barbed wire fence in 2005.

In 2004, a South Korean civilian defected to the North after cutting through three layers of wire fences at the DMZ.

gallantjung@koreatimes.co.kr
 
wooribank
LG group
Top 10 Stories
1Hotels grapple with chronic staff shortages Hotels grapple with chronic staff shortages
2'Moon gov't neglected, concealed North's killing of S. Korean official' 'Moon gov't neglected, concealed North's killing of S. Korean official'
3CJ Olive Young fined 1.89 bil. won for unfair supply contracts CJ Olive Young fined 1.89 bil. won for unfair supply contracts
4Giant panda statue at Everland Giant panda statue at Everland
5[INTERVIEW] 'Now is time for Koreans to unlock potential in Africa' INTERVIEW'Now is time for Koreans to unlock potential in Africa'
6SK reshuffles top management focusing on generational shiftSK reshuffles top management focusing on generational shift
7Scholar's decades-long expertise serves as inspiration for Korea's future FDI Scholar's decades-long expertise serves as inspiration for Korea's future FDI
8K-dramas, beauty, food to maintain popularity on TikTok in 2024K-dramas, beauty, food to maintain popularity on TikTok in 2024
9Japan's Nikkei-linked ELS issuance surpasses HK-linked ELS Japan's Nikkei-linked ELS issuance surpasses HK-linked ELS
10Lawyer of Korean descent selected as chair of Dentons Global Board Lawyer of Korean descent selected as chair of Dentons Global Board
Top 5 Entertainment News
1[INTERVIEW] Meet the man behind giant rubber ducks that once took over Seoul INTERVIEWMeet the man behind giant rubber ducks that once took over Seoul
2'Soundtrack #2' tells classic yet realistic love story 'Soundtrack #2' tells classic yet realistic love story
3Auction house Phillips appoints new regional director of Korea Auction house Phillips appoints new regional director of Korea
4[REVIEW] Musical 'Monte Cristo' returns with riveting tale of vengeance, love REVIEWMusical 'Monte Cristo' returns with riveting tale of vengeance, love
5Late K-pop star Moonbin's memorial space shut down after fans complain Late K-pop star Moonbin's memorial space shut down after fans complain
DARKROOM
  • It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

    It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

  • 2023 Thanksgiving parade in NYC

    2023 Thanksgiving parade in NYC

  • Appreciation of autumn colors

    Appreciation of autumn colors

  • Our children deserve better

    Our children deserve better

  • Israel-Gaza conflict erupts into war

    Israel-Gaza conflict erupts into war

  • Turkey-Syria earthquake

    Turkey-Syria earthquake

  • Nepal plane crash

    Nepal plane crash

  • Brazil capital uprising

    Brazil capital uprising

  • Happy New Year 2023

    Happy New Year 2023

  • World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

    World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

CEO & Publisher: Oh Young-jin
Digital News Email: webmaster@koreatimes.co.kr
Tel: 02-724-2114
Online newspaper registration No: 서울,아52844
Date of registration: 2020.02.05
Masthead: The Korea Times
Copyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.
  • About Us
  • Introduction
  • History
  • Contact Us
  • Products & Services
  • Subscribe
  • E-paper
  • RSS Service
  • Content Sales
  • Site Map
  • Policy
  • Code of Ethics
  • Ombudsman
  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Service
  • Copyright Policy
  • Family Site
  • Hankook Ilbo
  • Dongwha Group