See How One North Korean Soldier Escaped To South Korea | TODAY
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- Опубликовано: 13 фев 2018
- In December, a North Korean soldier scrambled across the DMZ, the heavily guarded border that separates North and South Korea, in a bid for freedom that was caught on video. TODAY’s Savannah Guthrie visits the exact spot where the defector drove, ran and then crawled across the border, despite suffering multiple gunshot wounds.
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See How One North Korean Soldier Escaped To South Korea | TODAY
Mad respect for the South Korean soldiers that saved him
@RIGHT TIMEZ r u crazy?
@RIGHT TIMEZ Um...
@Walter what did that guy say
@Walter the comment got deleted. What did he said?
No if they dodo their family bye bye.lol. Duh.
literally Run for Life
literally crawl for life
Bopaler You’re right
and Don't take your freedom for granted. Clearly.
for k-pop
He almost died. Seriously nobody wants to get shot by a gun
Mad respect for the dude that escaped and the doctors and soldiers that helped him.
yeah mad respect and all but imagine his family 3 generations will have been tortured because he escaped
@@charlotte-zo4jp he was the son of a general, so most likely not
@@Redofreko good chances that dosent stop them
This is why my dad fought so many years ago in Korean War. Nothing has changed. Rip daddy!
F
@RUclips Sucks ?
@RUclips Sucks ????
Rip😔
May his soul rest in eternal peace.
A moment of silence for his family...
Yes he has one,to become part of the army,he has to have a Wife and a child or even children. Pls do your research before you speak swines
Phobepotatoegirl Pretty sadly it’s 2019 and both him and his family is dead
@@ilike_donuts21._.13 Not true.
the 3 generation rule
Its worth it tho, his old family will die and be reborn in South Korea if he gets married and has children
Kudos to the South Korean and US soldiers for rescuing him. This truly shows how bad life is in North Korea but yet many still refuse to believe it.
Who refuses to believe it? I know North Korea denies the existence of the many concentration camps clearly visible from satellites and spoken of by defectors, but besides that I’ve always thought people knew things are bad there but many don’t pay attention or realize the extent.
Longlive China Did you ever think of why your soldier must runaway? You must treat them very badly for them to risk their life and even their families’ lives in order to fight for a better life and the factor that many have and take for granted, “freedom”.
They refuse becoz they've been told to refuse. Life in dictatorship be like
Longlive China --
“Allow to run away” ?!
Also, you spelled moron wrong, asshat.
Additionally, let it be known that free countries typically don’t have to prohibit the movement of their citizens, therefore entrapping them. Such free countries instead allow travel, at the inclination of the individual
Lol
you would think the NK guards would be like “oh.. they saved him even though he is one of us? … Maybe they arent the bad guys?”
propaganda: information, especially of a biased or misleading nature, used to promote or publicize a particular political cause or point of view
they would still shoot since they're scared that their own comrades would see them as a traitoe
They’ve been brainwashed since they were born and they know their family will be killed or put in prison
You see thats not what they think happens. They just saw a guy they shot disappear into the leaves and the SK and US military yellled a message back. Theyre brainwashed into believing that guy was either tortured or killed but why would they say that they wanna destroy NK so theyll say they helped him so more come over.
Some of them already know that but they still have no choice but to follow.
A coincidence that the Olympics were being held at that time on South Korea but seriously, he managed to escape with gun shot wounds and still live. Mad respect.
I'm glad he escaped, but this means that they're going to torture his entire family...
Unless he doesnt have one....
The problem is....
If you want to be a soldier in NK, you must have a family first.
So he has a family....or had.
Raceris sometimes that’s not enough for people to stay. Selfish if you like but id do the same if I couldn’t smuggle my family since I mean that’d be so hard
They know that they’ll be tortured so they had to have been dead if he was willing to escape. It’s so sad.
The Fake Slim Shady oh you poor soul 😂
Fact:Those soldiers who failed to capture the defector will also be punished along with defector’s family.
For real? Who said that?? 😢
@@aarondesller8214 its just something you would expect
@ahhsnap _xbox well he did
@ahhsnap _xbox becz they need to have a family for becoming a soldier so that they can have hostages n if the soldier dares to escape his family would all be killed
yeah :(
Thank goodness he was lifted and taken to the hospital and survived. We need to start treating humans as good as we treat most animals and pets. Everyone is worthy of it.
Shout out to the news reporter who actually knew what questions to ask. Good on her!
He just wants a better life man
Yeah I know
@@itsplaytime6465 how dare he trying to live
Yeah
@@iamaloafofbread8926 litteraly north korea, in 6 words
North Korea more like NOOB korea
The 4 solders could’ve escape with him
Kim Hanbin they are al brainwashed and all there families would have been tortured to death.
Why do l get crash landing on you feels
Elegant Styles idk.
Blablablabla Blablablabla either way since they did not catch the guy their family is going to go to a labor camp
If they did, all their families would have been killed or sent to labor camps
A moment of silence for the soldiers who failed to capture him.
A moment of silence for the guard who fall while capturing the guy
A moment of silence for his family that is probably being tourcherd or dead
@@princelawrencebaynosa4032 i think it was to make it less recoil when shooting the gun or idk if there is two falling
@@princelawrencebaynosa4032 it's for accurate aiming and less recoil if he shoot...
“He was driving across the dirt, just to drive across” excellent reporting
Yes milord
Dude survived alot of shots all the while having probably a heartbeat faster than usain bolt. Legend
Like ender men skipping arrows
Usain bolt heart rate is slow you nincompoop
@@ColocasiaCorm i did not know that 1 year ago
@@ColocasiaCorm I think he met his running
I think the NK soldiers were intentionally missing him for him to escape. Just my opinion
I love how the south soldiers helped him. So nice
Even in the tensest and most hostile location on Earth, humanity still exists. We need to take something from that each morning when we go to work with the Office or store Karen.
This was the first time I had to visit South Korea
And I must say their army is really brave. That man should be a hero
@@stavrosgiannaros7041 I think it's pretty much universally understood that almost all North Koreans are a victim of their circumstances and anytime someone defects I'm sure everyone has a good idea of what's right
You have to provide medical care for soldiers even if their on the other side. Its written in the Geneva convention.
Why wouldn’t they? They want ALL of Korea to be free. These are their people. They’d save every North Korean if they could. They had a whole war about it. Technically an ongoing war.
How lucky the majority of us are to not have to go through something like this
Imagine being shot at by your own country's soldiers and being saved by your enemies. salute to those South Korean soldiers who saved him despite him being their enemy.
That's the truth of North Korea and all dictatorships. Dictators hate their own people. And the biggest sponsor of all dictatorships is Russia.
Thank you South Korea for being human and SANE!!!
What
@@evanytgaming1986 bruh
@@6LCuete i was asking how are they not sane that was a normal thing to do to help someone
@@evanytgaming1986 what?
This was the first time I had to visit South Korea
And I must say their army is really brave
I feel that anyone who escapes North Korea should be given a medal for bravery.
This was the first time I had to visit South Korea
And I must say their army is really brave
Agree
agree
true
Man spent his entire life saluting old men with +50 medals on their chest, i'm sure a medal is nothing but a meaningless piece of tin for him. Besides, I think a future in the free South is enough of a reward for him.
Its heartbreaking that one continent is seperated by war. I really hope that one day north and south can reunite or at least relax a little more and allow travel or at least communication between north and south. I just got finished watching Crash landing on you from netflix and although its a tv show, it highlights the fact that the people in the north are just that, people.
Ain’t happening as long as the Kim Regime continues.
I couldn't imagine the grief and hopelessness he must've felt behind that wall as he lay bleeding out before his rescue.
Good to see a korean american colonel.
guitarhamster is he even Korean?
AdamIsHere yes, he’s the first Korean American captain to graduate from the U.S Naval Academy. Google helps, also being a Marine does too.
Dayvien PLAYZ naval academy that’s very very clearly US ARMY
Cool Minecraft stuff lol, marines graduate from there too. Service members can switch branches after their contract. My marine buddy did the green-blue program. You can graduate the naval academy and then become whatever you want. It’s just a stepping stone. Which service where you in?
Dayvien PLAYZ lol he won't answer because he isn't apart of the military
"They are probably watching us"
Straight up "Yes they are" 🤣
colonel Lee knew lol
north korean won't be able to do anything to them and even if they do shoot and killed them, theres going to be a war and it won't be good for the north.
@@BeyondAverageSkilled man why tf don't we just force our government to war on them mfs
@@whoareyou3781 WW3, if government of each ally country attack, it could be the dead of the earth and the human kind.
@@whoareyou3781because both countries get nuked, nobody wins
he has a second life on that particular moment, God bless you guy! and i hope peace prevail on that region on earth and i also pray for your leaders to be lenient to their subject.
South Korea should put a huge screen facing North Korea and plays K-POP and K-drama 24/7. 😂😂😂
The guy who is running for his life, hes heart must beating like super fast
@@checkoutmyplaylistsforente8054 wth is a hearth
He was probably pumped with adrenaline and animal him took over
Life and death situation so f it
Adrenaline is a nice thing
Feeling of freedom . Beautiful life .
Just seeing this guy driving like a madman to safety makes me feel that adrenaline level
If he was a good driver there would be no running
@@DANKRUPTSY he was getting shot at its funny how you can expect someone to drive calmly while you know you will die if you get hit or captured
@@DANKRUPTSYlol ok keyboard warrior lets see what you will do under heavy fire and stress 😂
Praise to the American and South Korean soldiers who saved him and gave this man a chance to be free
SIMPLY IT'S BEEN SAID: WHEN A SOLDIER ESCAPES NORTH KOREA IT'S GOD ASSISTING A MIRACLE
I hope he gets married and can have children grow up in South Korea.
I think he was already married in North Korea. I am not sure, if so, I am not sure about the marriage.
최병훈 -Nice kitchen bro 😂
wasilaify lmao while all his family is killed back home
You need to have a family in order to join the military in NK, so that they won’t escape because they are told that if they escape, their family will be tortured
In NK if you want to be a soldier you must have a family
Watching this 3 years later; this daring escape still gives me goose bumps.
4 years later
@@phantomjosh2148 88 years later
@@uisdobad3560 hwat da boo boo
@@uisdobad3560 100.37 years later
Just imagine him waking up next morning in freedom 😍😍
Thank God for these people! They helped him when he was about dead. Thank you for your service!
We thank you all for the help of the Korean
Since I'm seeing a lot of comments asking if he was deported back to the North. I made a list about what certain countries would do to North defectors. This is only based on what I know so please correct me if I'm wrong.
Defectors to South Korea are well taken care of since the south still considers the north citizens as their own Korean citizens.
Defectors to China are arrested then deported back to the North to maintain good relations. (China is only NK's ally in global politics and trade).
Defectors passing through the Sea of Japan into Japan itself is deported back to "Korea" though not specified which korea. Since flights are only possible toward Seoul and direct flights to Pyongyang are only available via China, Japan flies them directly into South korea. Very sneaky Japan is trying to appear neutral but it's really clear who they favor :)
Defectors to USA (yes that's a thing)are given US citizenship. Though only one successful defection to US has been known to public when one North Korean escaped through China and made his way into Europe a sought asylum to a US embassy there. Last I heard, he's currently living somewhere in the Eastern coast of the US.
Correct, the South Koreans took him in, he was in critical condition, but he was healed and now I believe he has citizenship and has had his first and last name changed.
I need some smart friends like y’all.
it depends on if you can get to an embassy, wherever you are.
Laos & Cambodia also deport North Korean's back to NK & I think Russia does as well
@@franciscsdominguez3929 Mainland China, I know Taiwan doesn't deport them back to North Korea, and I can imagine it would be the same for Hong Kong.
He saw a chance and went for it, what a brave man. I hope his family is okay tho, i saw a comment that said they could’ve been tortured
he wanted to escape and marry an african
Yeah, his family will be toruted, if you do a crime in North Korea. 3 Generations will be tourted which will be: Your Dad, You & Your Son.
@@BeyondAverageSkilled?
@@BeyondAverageSkilled stop it.
i heard somewhere they would only be tourtured if the person escapes from prison, but dont trust everything you read online right?
Salute to all soldiers in south korea.
Just watching this would make you want to count your blessings one by one and be thankful with what you have.
What a brave soul that North Korean soldier was. The hospital found maggots inside his body! Another sad thing is, he was only 18-years old! He looked older! I hope he’s doing well and one day be able to tell the world about his ordeal. I’ll be listening!
He wasn't 18
@@josephine2517 Oh. So how old was he?
@@geneva1040 i checked google he is either 27/28
Nevermind his age, maggots😳?
@@linzani8028 If a person looks older than their age, it’s usually due to the stress that person had in their life, which means that soldier went through a lot of stress living in North Korea, but who wouldn’t?
He most likely had nothing left to loose including his family
*lose
he have families
The defector is the son of a GENERAL in North Korea.
Unbelievable that he survived 6 bullets much respect to the south korea soldiers and doctors
That's the power of will power.
He went through this suffering because he wanted to live. And he lived ❤
I’m sorry for his family.
Why cant north Korean army turn against kim jong un?
Dva Main because of implantation when they are young
Brainwash
fear
Brainwashing in the majority and fear in the wise ones
They don't know better, they are taught that the west are evil and their country is a paradise. Just usual propaganda in the Cold War style
Really dark
The smart ones are very small in number and so they couldn't convince the majority in time before they get silenced
It's all done so that the Kims can fill their hunger and grow fat. Look how fat they are.
One day, it wil happen. Probably a war between those soldiers who want freedom and those who still brainwashed by Kim. Freedom for North Korea civilians will happen.
I just watched the whole video of him escaping this guy has BALLLS!!!
South korean soldier was so kind to save his life because they know all the civilians are very innocent and some soldiers are innocent too
As a younger man I recall quite clearly when the Berlin wall came down and Germany was reunited. The East German citizens were astonished at the difference between the West and the East. This is very similar. If the two Koreas were to unite the North would be overwhelmed with excitement and pleasure at their first tastes of freedom.
It's so sad to think about everyone punished for him wanting freedom. It must have been very difficult for him to do this knowing his family would be put in prison or a death camp......
unfortunately everyone there gets punished for wanting freedom…
it’s so sad
Bae:Come To South Korea,My Parents are not home
Me:Escaping NK To SK
Nice joke but why here....
because people don't have a sense of awareness since they're too dull in the head.
Nope
@@sinkiller112 its a joke and hard humor i guess you dont get dark humor
Stolen from the original video
Colonel is a hero, deescalated a serious situation that could have exploded
tomorrow Kim himself will escape
😹😹😹
For McDonald
@@markazain8996 sk:kim we have a mcdonalds,and denis rodman
Kim:escapes nk to mcdonalds
Sk:you are under arest
Scape from himself 😂
He has no feet to begin with
Im happy he got away he's so brave I could never
Life in North Korea is simply horrible!!! I applaud this one guy who had the guts to escape
south, despite several attempts on his life.
People just will understand how painfull is to live in north korea when they fell pain as well
Crazy to think they are both the same people, separated by the west and now sworn enemies. Truly sad.
Divided by western imperialist
horseonjupiter by the west ? How ?
ya boy gpistol i think he thinking about the war between them...cuz you know how un or us was involved
Justin Yap I’m pretty sure it’s by both. US and soviets love dividing territories in countries during Cold War
horseonjupiter you're right
It's funny that there isn't even a fence to seperate the border.
There's fencing all along the DMZ. There's none at this spot because it's the Joint Security Area. The one location where the fence is removed and soldiers face each other. It's left open for communication purposes.
Love from Pakistan 🇵🇰🇰🇷🇺🇸to south korean and American soldiers
It’s Amazing how fast that man was with his balls of steel
Bae : Come now
Me : I live in North Korea i can't.
Bae : My parents aren't home.
Me : 1 sec.......
Jubek Phillip did you set he other comment. It’s similar to yours
@@bean2216 ikr
Stoleennnn
This always gets to me when I think of the DMZ-
"I witnessed a soldier, not so different from myself, being executed by firing squad when he was caught trying to flee," An Chan-il, a 66-year-old defector and North Korea expert, told ABC News. He said that he kept the dead soldier's badge during his own escape to at least give the man's soul a chance to have a look at South Korea.
This defector saw a solider get shot trying to defect and took his badge when HE defected so the man could see some freedom :/
They have to be charged for there crimes
It's a sad life living under dictatorship.
Either north Korea , Iran, Russia(to some degree).
Iran literally kills innocent girls for not having hijab and burqa.
I'm just speechless
I would have kept chasing him and then escaped too.
Lol, good idea
This Colonel has this aura of professionalism and competence...
Amazing what education will do for you.
If only soviet union & America did not split korea, the people in North Korea would have a much easier life and they wouldn't be have to be separated
Ain't that simple
There’s only one Korea.
@Vladilena Milizé why is that supposed to be funny?
@Rose dowling on my though i think its nature thing cuz before virus millions of thing happened don't just say its china
So did the North Korean soldier live? Did he finally get his freedom that he wanted? All you guys talked about was how he escaped, I want to know if he lived and is still in South Korea.
if Integra yes he lived but got shoot 2 Times’
He doin fine
5, he got shot 5 times
He restored from seriously wounded coma and was cured. And now he lives in South Korea in safe, in good health.
Any video interview ??
I have to say that the north Koreans are gonna make it even harder for any defectors to defect to South Korea. I have to say that he's actually a very extremely brave man who tried all means to go to South Korea even with gun shot wounds. As a Christian person I have been praying for the people of North Korea.
Going to be honest. I'm glad that he escaped to a better place but I'm really worried for his family. I really don't want to think what happened to his family but I am genuinely worried. Yeah, even the soldiers who tried to capture him. I am also nervous what happened to them.
Has this ever happened in the past, where a military fired at their own people? What’s the word for it? Friendly fire?
Sarah McConnell 1:31
North Koreans defect all the time. Although some go through China then catch a flight to South korea. Dangerous either way
Richard Morgan what are you talking about?
Are they no longer teaching history or kids just dumb these days? East Germany used to shoot people who tried to go over the Berlin Wall for years. Look it up if they are not teaching you that in school dummies!
Yoon Kim I don't think you caught the sarcasm.. you know insulting one intelligence is only deflecting that fact you may be self conscious about yours. Lol just saying I wish people didn't always result to the "are you not learning in school or are you just plain stupid" it's old and a stupid comment in its self.
Hug to south korean soldiers .huge respect to them.
More respect to the Korean soldiers
May Allah continue to protect them all
I was there at the DMZ in 1989 when I was serving the U.S. Army.
The fact that he's a soldier he knew more about the politics in his country and wanted to have a good life.
I pray for his family...
This gives me goosebumps
Rest in peace too the soliders family
Southern hospitality!! 🙌🏽
Seems like the easiest way to escape, get stationed on the dmz and run when no one is looking, and don’t have family
In order to become a soldier you need to be married with a family
@@ulysses4989 bro no. There is something called mandatory military service where they don't care whether you have family or not. They'll force you into the military.
They talk about how guns are killing machines and yet this dude takes 5 and survives
chaosXpert He's a soldier and almost died when he got to the hospital
Ooch
It's the power of adrenaline
it depends upon what was the strength of the gun and bullet. And most importantly, where in the body it hit....
That guy was lucky that all the 5-6 gun shots were in non-critical areas, atleast that he didn't die on spot and could survive after getting rescued and treated.
He had a very big amount of bloodloss though.
Instead of shooting, those 4 other soldiers coulda defected with the defectors. Missed opportunity.
I hope they didn't do anything to his family for his escape.
I hope they're okay.
me acting on my intrusive thoughts
I'm actually afraid to say this, but North Korea is too cruel. We are so lucky we aren't born there😭
Why are you afraid
Why are you running
Why would you be afraid? North Korea isn't coming for you unless you're somehow living there and were able to view this video and comment.
YES
Possibly can reunite with long lost family in south korea that was split long ago. Remember south & north are essentially the same people.
This Breaks My Heart To See This. I Feel If Someone Wants To Leave Just Let Them Go. People Have A Right To Move & Live A Happy Life.
Dictators have no regards for human life.
Funny how all of them call themselves "leader" and not dictator.
Look at Iran and north Korea ..
We as Americans have NO CLUE what freedom is and never will. We are spoiled and take thing for granted.
Maybe they haven’t paid the phone bill since 2013
Stolen comment
🤣🤣
That was intense I´m glad that he escaped
Look how bad is that country hope he doing good. BLESSING
As a korean thanks for covering this😊
That's dedication for freedom
wow that defector have became a legend for crossing that danger area man!! But hope that defector is gonna recover soon! But i feel great that the south korean army are willing to save that army boy life.
Its crazy how theyre fighting when they're basically one country just divided by that stupid wall
I was 25 when the Berlin Wall came down, before I'm 75 I hope to see the border between North and South Korea fall and the people of North Korea finally liberated.
Congratulations to him
HE ACTUALLY DID IT THE ABSOLUTE MAD MAN
Prayers to his family 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏
"The scariest place on earth" "We visited it today"
Mad how the escapee didnt even mean to escape. He was drunk and just went for it😂😂
I’m glad he’s okay
Misheard DMZ as DMV…still checks out as the scariest place on earth.
Colonel Lea gave a great narrative of the situation
2:26 that soldier who face planted should have just *leafed* the defector alone