Han River flows between South Korea's Gangwha Island and North Korea's Kaepung, Monday. A North Korean defector is believed to have swam across the border after going through a drain under barbed wire fences to evade South Korean border guards, military officials say. Yonhap

A North Korean defector is believed to have swam across the border from the western island of Gwanghwa after going through a drain under barbed wire fences to evade South Korean border guards, military officials said Monday.

The border crossing by the 24-year-old man was made known after North Korea revealed Sunday that a "runaway" returned home in the border city of Kaesong with coronavirus symptoms and leader Kim Jong-un blocked off the entire city and implemented a state of emergency to prevent the virus from spreading.