In an article published on December 11, 2005, Korea Times reports that more than 1,200 North Koreans defected to South Korea in the first 11 months of the year to flee the poverty-stricken communist country. The source of information was the Unification Ministry. (16-DEC-2005)
The number of North Korean defectors to the South amounted to 1,217 in the January-November period, according to the ministry. This is the fourth straight year to see over 1,000 of the defectors flood into the country.
The number rose from 583 in 2001 to 1,139 in 2002 and 1,281 in 2003, according to the ministry.
However, the figure is unlikely to match last year?s 1,894, the ministry said.
In 2004, South Korea saw the largest single defection ever when 468 people were flown via Vietnam in July.
More than 7,500 North Koreans have crossed the border with the People´s Republic of China en route to South Korea since the Korean War ended in 1953, according to a ministry estimate.
The two Koreas remain technically at war since the three-year war ended without a peace treaty.
