A North Korean defector was detained in South Korea after stealing a bus and ramming it into a barricade on a bridge near the border in an attempt to return to North Korea.

The man, in his 30s, had defected over a decade ago but struggled to adapt to life in the South.

The incident occurred at the Tongil Bridge in Paju, and the defector ignored warnings from soldiers before crashing, NBC News has reported.

Returning to North Korea is rare among defectors, but some, like this man, face difficulties settling in South Korea.

Written by B.C. Begley