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North Korean Resident Crosses South Korean Sea Border to Defect, Yonhap Reports

Representation photo: A small wooden boat, center, is towed into a port in Yangyang, South Korea, Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2023. (Yonhap via AP)
Representation photo: A small wooden boat, center, is towed into a port in Yangyang, South Korea, Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2023. (Yonhap via AP)
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North Korean Resident Crosses South Korean Sea Border to Defect, Yonhap Reports

Representation photo: A small wooden boat, center, is towed into a port in Yangyang, South Korea, Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2023. (Yonhap via AP)
Representation photo: A small wooden boat, center, is towed into a port in Yangyang, South Korea, Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2023. (Yonhap via AP)

A North Korean resident has crossed the maritime border in the Yellow Sea and defected to South Korea, the Yonhap news agency reported on Thursday, citing South Korea's military.
The resident crossed the Northern Limit Line in the Yellow Sea, a contested sea border off the west coast, said Reuters.
South Korea's defense ministry declined to comment when asked about the report.
The number of North Korean defectors arriving in the South had hit an all-time low during the pandemic when Pyongyang moved to tightly seal its borders.

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Powerful Quake Hits Off Southern Japan, Tsunami Advisory Issued

FILE PHOTO: A Japanese flag flutters atop the Bank of Japan building under construction in Tokyo, Japan, September 21, 2017. REUTERS/Toru Hanai/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: A Japanese flag flutters atop the Bank of Japan building under construction in Tokyo, Japan, September 21, 2017. REUTERS/Toru Hanai/File Photo
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Powerful Quake Hits Off Southern Japan, Tsunami Advisory Issued

FILE PHOTO: A Japanese flag flutters atop the Bank of Japan building under construction in Tokyo, Japan, September 21, 2017. REUTERS/Toru Hanai/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: A Japanese flag flutters atop the Bank of Japan building under construction in Tokyo, Japan, September 21, 2017. REUTERS/Toru Hanai/File Photo

A powerful earthquake struck off Japan's southern coast on Thursday, triggering a tsunami advisory. Residents were urged to stay away from the coastline, but there were no immediate reports of injuries or serious damage.
The Japan Meteorological Agency said the quake registered magnitude 7.1 and was centered in waters off the eastern coast of Japan's southern main island of Kyushu at a depth of about 30 kilometers (18.6 miles).
The quake most strongly shook Nichinan city and nearby areas in Miyazaki prefecture on Kyushu island, The Associated Press reported.
The agency said tsunami waves of up 50 centimeters (1.6 feet) were detected along parts of Kyushu's southern coast and the nearby island of Shikoku about a half hour after the quake struck.
Seismologists were holding an emergency meeting to analyze whether the quake had affected the nearby Nankai Trough, the source of past devastating earthquakes.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said officials were assessing possible injuries or serious damage, though none were immediately reported. He urged residents of the affected region to stay away from the coastline.
Japan’s NHK public television said there were reports of broken windows at the Miyazaki airport near the epicenter.
The Nuclear Regulation Authority said all 12 nuclear reactors, including three which are currently operating, on Kyushu and Shikoku remained safe.