Drunk, naked man from North Korea washes up on South Korean shore, taken into custody

A North Korean was discovered last Sunday morning on the South Korean Island of Gangwha, near the border with North Korea, having apparently floated to the South on a piece of wood while trashed.

From South Korea’s Yonhap News Agency:

The man, believed to be in his 20s, was discovered hiding in a civilian’s house by a resident in Ganghwa, west of Seoul, at around 11:48 a.m. Sunday and police were called to take him into custody, the JCS spokesman Lee Bung-woo said. He was then handed over to the South Korean military.

The man, who was wearing only underwear and appeared drunk at the time, said he floated south from North Korea, Lee said.

“The man said he crossed to the South, holding on to a floating object to waters off the coast of Gyodong Island,” Lee said. “The floating object is seen as a wooden board that drifted due to the flood in the North.”

According to Yonhap, South Korea will let the man stay if he wants.

photo/pcamp