(Image: Yonhap News)
[Anchor]
South Korean authorities are questioning a man, presumed to be a North Korean, who was caught early Tuesday crossing through a restricted area along the heavily fortified inter-Korean border.
This incident could spark fresh criticism against Seoul's top military brass, following a similar security breach last year.
Ron Chang reports.
[Reporter]
The man, in his 20s, was caught on surveillance cameras crossing the Civilian Control Line along the eastern border heading towards South Korea.
He was detained some three hours later and during questioning expressed his desire to defect.
The Joint Chiefs of Staff said their investigation is still underway.
But they are also looking into the overall security posture for the coastal region where the man was detected.
The defense unit in charge of the area where the man crossed is the same one that was held responsible for the delayed detection of a North Korean soldier last November.
The military attributed that lapse to a security sensor malfunction.
So, it's expected that the military will face backlash for this latest incident, especially since it vowed last month to upgrade surveillance systems at frontline units to prevent a recurrence.
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