Suspicious man confirmed to be from N. Korea

A suspicious man, who was detained drunk on a South Korean border island earlier this month claiming he is from North Korea, has been confirmed to have indeed sneaked across the border from the communist nation, officials said.

The 28-year-old man was caught Sept. 9 on the island of Gyodong, just south of the inter-Korean border off the west coast, while stealing food and hiding in a private warehouse. The man was drunk at the time of arrest and claimed that he is from North Korea.

South Korean authorities have since questioned him and confirmed his claim, a military official said.

According to the outcome of the investigation, the man left his home in South Pyongan Province and traveled about 200 kilometers south to reach a coastal area across from the South's Gyodong Island near the mouth of the Han River on Sept. 2.

He then jumped into the water on the night of Sept. 3 before floating to the island while holding on to a log that was swept away in floods spawned by typhoons. He was then faced with the wire fence surrounding the island, but found a hole in it and got inside.

Authorities quoted the man as saying that he decided to defect to South Korea as his family background is not good and he believed he had no future in the North. He was also quoted as saying that he has heard the South is a well off nation.

Officials said they repaired the wire fence, and will find those guarding the fence at the time to hold them responsible for failing to detect the breach. The military also decided to deploy more guards and equipment to the area, officials said. (Yonhap)