The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) confirmed Thursday that a South Korean defected to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) by ship on Wednesday.

"Hwang Hong-ryon, a South Korean, defected to the north by ship at around 16:30 (0730 GMT) on Wednesday," the official KCNA said in a brief report.

"Hwang had to go through a hail of bullets and shells fired by the South Korean navy when the ship was crossing the extension of the Military Demarcation Line (MDL)" near the eastern coastline ofthe Korean Peninsula, the KCNA added.

The KCNA also said Hwang is now "under investigation by a competent institution."

According to South Korea's Yonhap News Agency, South Korea announced after investigation that "Hwang is suspected of crossing the maritime border while being heavily intoxicated."

The Yonhap said earlier that Hwang sailed the ship to the DPRK, ignoring soldiers' warning shots near the MDL and got across the MDL at 16:04 (0704 GMT).

Source: Xinhua