N Korean defector swims to the South

A North Korean defector wore a diving suit and fins during a daring six-hour swim around one of the world’s most fortified borders, a Seoul official said, and was caught only after apparently falling asleep. Bungling South Korean forces did not spot the man’s audacious exploit despite him appearing several times on CCTV after he landed and triggering alarms, drawing heavy criticism from media and opposition MPS. Even after his presence was noticed, the man -who used diving gear to make his way by sea around the Demilitarized Zone that divides the peninsula -was not caught for another three hours. The man, reportedly in his 20s, landed north of the town of Goseong on the east coast. Officials said the defector, presumed to have been a civilian in the North, has expressed a desire to defect..