A North Korean soldier was found to have defected to South Korea on Tuesday evening and, in the process, other North Korean soldiers were confirmed to have crossed the military demarcation line (MDL).

The Joint Chiefs of Staff in Seoul says that one hour after the soldier defected to the South through the eastern part of the MDL in Gangwon Province, two to three North Korean soldiers armed with rifles followed him across the demarcation line at around 7:30 p.m.

Based on engagement rules, the South fired warning shots and the pursuing soldiers returned to the North.

A military official says that there were no casualties on either side and that the defector has expressed his wishes to stay in the South.