366 defect from North to South Korea

A total of 366 North Koreans defected to South Korea in the first three months of this year, up 14% from the same period a year, the Unification Ministry said today.

The number of North Koreans fleeing their communist country for the South has been rising annually in recent years. Last year the number was 1,285, up from 1,140 in 2002 and 583 in 2001.