A North Korean soldier and a citizen have defected to South Korea via the western sea border.
Authorities say a small boat was detected north of Baengnyeong-do Island early Saturday morning and a patrol boat was immediately dispatched.
A North Korean military officer and a citizen were aboard the boat and both expressed their wish to defect.
This is the 14th time a North Korean soldier has fled to the South since the year 2000, but the first time in a decade for an officer-level soldier to do so.
The two are being questioned on their reason for defecting.