On March 1, 1991, a soldier serving at the JSA crossed the Military Demarcation Line and defected to North Korea.
A shootout occurred between our forces and the North Korean military during this process, but the soldier successfully defected.
- Newspaper article at the time of the defection - The soldier who defected was Private First Class Kim Yoo-chan, a KATUSA serving in the JSA.
Kim Yoo-chan was an Athletic Education major at Sungkyunkwan University, who enlisted in KATUSA in 1990. There was a lot of talk regarding why he defected—some said he was a student activist, others cited personal/family issues. While some rumors suggest the family issues story is true, the details remain unknown.
Kim Yoo-chan stated on Pyongyang radio that he defected because he was disillusioned with the tough military service in South Korea and wanted to live in North Korea, where he would be free from worries about food, clothing, and shelter, under the guidance of the Great Leader Kim Il-sung and the Beloved Leader Kim Jong-il.
Kim Yoo-chan was welcomed by the North, got married, had children, and joined the People's Army.
Around 2016, his face appeared on North Korean propaganda leaflets (ppira) showing him as a military officer, confirming he was being used as a propaganda tool for the regime and against South Korea.
"Dude defected to North Korea right before the Arduous March hit. Talk about terrible life choices and major buyer's remorse LOL."
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