ANKARA

A North Korean civilian crossed the heavily fortified inter-Korean land border into South Korea in what appears to be an attempt to defect, the South’s military said Friday.

According to a Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) official, the man crossed the Military Demarcation Line (MDL) Thursday night, Yonhap News Agency reported.

South Korean troops had first detected his presence earlier that day near a shallow stream in the midwestern section of the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ).

The military transferred the man to relevant authorities for further investigation, it said.

South Korea’s military said they didn't detect any unusual signs of North Korean troop activity after the man crossed into its territory.

South Korean President Lee Jae-myung was also briefed by military authorities over the development, said Presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung.

In August last year, a North Korean soldier defected to South Korea by crossing the MDL in the eastern county of Goseong.