South shoots at North Korean soldiers pursuing defector

South Korean guards on Thursday fired 20 warning shots at North Korean soldiers pursuing a defector along the heavily guarded border. South Korean officials said they heard no gunshots from the North when the defecting 19-year-old soldier arrived at the South Korean guard post. Later in the day, South Korea’s military broadcast a warning and fired 20 warning shots after detecting several North Korean soldiers approaching the demarcation line between the two countries. Joint Chiefs of Staff spokesman Roh Jae-cheon said authorities are investigating the defector’s motive. South Korea has taken in an increasing number of defectors in recent weeks. Five weeks ago, North Korean troops shot a defecting soldier five times as he tried to flee into the south from a very public part of the border. Earlier on Wednesday, two North Korean civilians arrived in South Korea in a wooden boat and asked to resettle in the country, according to Seoul’s Unification Ministry.