A high-ranking North Korean soldier who suddenly dashed across the de-militarized zone into South Korea was shot five times by his communist comrades as he fled to freedom; miraculously surviving his journey across the most dangerous place on earth, reports Fox News.
New details are emerging about the unnamed defector who is currently recovering at a university hospital in Seoul, with South Korean officials saying the soldier was in “very dangerous” condition.
“[We] will have to ride out the crucial moments [in his recovery] over the next 10 days,” said the defector’s doctor.
Initial details released by government officials say the soldier abandoned his post and drove a military SUV towards a checkpoint near the DMZ. After getting stuck in a ditch, the man left the vehicle and bolted towards freedom as North Korean soldiers opened-fire with automatic rifles.
According to United Nations officials, the defector “initially took cover near a building on the southern side” of the border, covering himself in a pile of leaves as South Korean guards searched the area.
The incident comes less than one week after President Trump toured South Korea, warning North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un to “not try” America’s resolve in disarming his nuclear and missile programs.