The man crossed the so-called demarcation line in the demilitarized zone, DMZ, between the countries on Thursday.
Then he was arrested by the South Korean military, announces Seoul.
DMZ is one of the most mined places in the world. After the South Korean military discovered the man near the demarcation line, they met him and guided him across the border.
The operation took around 20 hours and involved a large number of soldiers, according to Seoul. The area is difficult to navigate – both due to dense vegetation and the risk of stepping on a mine.
The man, who is said to be a civilian, is reported to have voluntarily followed the South Korean forces.
In August last year, a defected North Korean soldier crossed the border to the southern neighbor. Last year, a North Korean also crossed the border by sea.
