The most recent incident comes after two previous ones, one reported by Seoul in August and the other through the negative area of the Han River lagoon.
In the border region, Pyongyang planted tens of thousands of new mines and constructed barriers, according to South Korea, which caused “multiple fatalities” among the North’s troops when the mines exploded.
Since the island was splintered by combat in the 1950s, tens of thousands of North Koreans have fled to the South.
Most defectors second travel overland to neighboring China, then move over to a third nation like Thailand before making it over to South Korea.
After the North tightened its edges to stop the spread of COVID-19, apparently with shoot-on-sight purchases along the land border with China, the number of successful escapes significantly decreased from 2020.
Seoul reported in January that more prestigious diplomats and students were attempting to flee the South, but the number of defectors reaching the West nearly tripled last year, to 196.
According to experts, defectors have good experienced harsh living conditions, including food shortages and limited response to natural disasters, while residing in the remote North.