A North Korean man crossed over the tense Yellow Sea border into South Korea by boat today, military officials said, the third such crossing in two months.
The boat was spotted off Baengnyeong Island, a Joint Chiefs of Staff spokesman said, declining to give details. It was unclear whether the man sought asylum in the South.
It was the third time in less than two months that North Koreans have crossed the disputed sea border. The last case was reported on June 1 when a North Korean man in his 30s defected to the South using a barge.
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The border crossing comes amid heightened cross-border tensions triggered by the sinking of the South Korean warship with the loss of 46 sailors in March.
South Korea blames the North for the sinking, announcing a series of reprisals including cutting off trade. The North furiously denies involvement and has responded to the reprisals with threats of war.
About 18,000 North Korean refugees have arrived in the South since the 1950-1953 war, activists say, but defections across the tense frontier are rare.
Many go first to China and travel on to third countries before winning resettlement in South Korea.
