South Korea has taken a North Korean soldier into custody after he crossed the heavily guarded military demarcation line.

The soldier was tracked and monitored by South Korean forces before being secured.

Media reports suggested the soldier expressed a desire to defect after being approached by a South Korean soldier.

If confirmed, he would join tens of thousands of North Koreans who have fled the North since the Korean War.

Direct crossings between the two Koreas are rare and dangerous due to mines and heavy surveillance.

Most defectors instead flee via North Korea’s border with China before eventually reaching the South.

Analysts noted the soldier’s familiarity with the area may have helped him navigate the border, and he could provide South Korea with valuable intelligence.

The last North Korean soldier to defect was in August of the previous year, Al-Jazeera has reported.

The crossing occurred four months after President Lee Jae-myung took office, promising dialogue and cooperation with North Korea.

Diplomatic efforts on the peninsula have been stalled since U.S.-North Korea denuclearization talks collapsed in 2019 under the Trump administration.