North Korean crosses the heavily fortified border to South Korea
The South's Joint Chiefs of Staff said the military identified and tracked the individual near the central-west section of the military demarcation line and conducted a 'guiding operation' before taking the person into custody Thursday night.
It said authorities plan to investigate the border crossing and did not immediately say whether they view the incident as a defection attempt.
The Joint Chiefs said it notified the U.S.-led United Nations Command about the incident and had not detected any immediate signs of unusual military activity by the North.
According to the Joint Chiefs, a South Korean military team approached the unarmed North Korean man after detecting him and, after identifying themselves as South Korean troops, guided him safely out of the mine-strewn Demilitarized Zone that divides the two Koreas.
Border tensions have flared in recent months as the two Koreas traded Cold War-style psychological warfare, with North Korea sending thousands of trash-filled balloons toward the South and South Korea blasting anti-Pyongyang propaganda through loudspeakers.
Since taking office last month, South Korea's new liberal President Lee Jae Myung has made efforts to rebuild trust with North Korea, halting the frontline loudspeaker broadcasts and moving to ban activists from flying balloons carrying propaganda leaflets across the border.
In April, South Korean troops fired warning shots to repel about 10 North Korean soldiers who briefly crossed the military demarcation line. The South's military said the soldiers returned to North Korean territory without incident and that the North didn't return fire.
In June last year, North Korean troops crossed the border three times, prompting South Korea to fire warning shots. Experts suggested these crossings may have been accidental, occurring as North Korean troops added anti-tank barriers, planted mines and carried out other work to bolster border defenses amid escalating tensions between the Koreas.
Diplomacy between the war-divided Koreas has derailed since the collapse of denuclearization talks between Washington and Pyongyang in 2019, which prompted North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to accelerate the expansion of his military nuclear program and threaten nuclear conflict toward Washington and Seoul. South Korea's previous conservative government responded by strengthening its combined military exercises with the United States and Japan, which the North condemned as invasion rehearsals.
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BBC News
4 hours ago
- BBC News
South Korea revises martial law rules after political crisis
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Scottish Sun
7 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
I'm the dictator of a micro empire in America's desert – we've declared war on Germany & we even get celeb state visits
Molossia's dicator Kevin Baugh told us all about his micro-nation TINY TYRANNY I'm the dictator of a micro empire in America's desert – we've declared war on Germany & we even get celeb state visits IN the sun-scorched high desert of Northern Nevada lies a tiny self-declared country with its very own dictator and armed forces. Welcome to Molossia - an 11-acre empire with its own timezone, cookie dough currency, banned catfish, lawless sports, and a kayak-based navy patrolling distant lakes. Advertisement 14 Bizarre micronation Molossia has its own currency, dictator and armed forces Credit: Supplied 14 The Republic of Molossia is a micronation located in Nevada, USA, claiming sovereignty over a small plot of land near Dayton Credit: Supplied 14 It was founded by Kevin Baugh in 1977 and functions as a hobby turned territorial entity, complete with its own currency, laws, and government Credit: Supplied 14 And standing proudly over his micronation is Kevin Baugh, who declared himself the president, founder, dictator and creator of the Republic of Molossia. Molossia (not to be confused with any real-world state) has stood - albeit somewhat unofficially - since May 26, 1977. It is so small that it equals to a tenth of the size of Vatican City, the world's smallest country. Inspired by the satirical Cold War film The Mouse that Roared, teenage Kevin and his friend James created their own fictional country. Advertisement He told The Sun: 'Back then, Molossia was known as the Grand Republic of Vuldstein. 'King James was the king, and I was prime minister.' While James moved on, Kevin stayed on the course. In 1988, upon acquiring land in Nevada, Molossia found a physical home. Advertisement Since then, the desert realm has been steadily growing, one eccentric decree at a time. A sovereign state - with cookie dough currency Molossia has all the trappings of nationhood - a flag, passports, a national garden, and even a unique currency called the Valora, based on cookie dough. 'People kind of see this as a joke, but then they come here and see the customs station and cookie-dough money, and they start to go, 'Hey, this is kind of a real place,'' Baugh said. The nation has a total population of 38 - 37 humans and one dog - and citizenship is strictly limited to Baugh's family, whether by blood or marrying in. Advertisement Inside the world's Zone of Death - the 50 square mile area where people get away with murder thanks to legal loophole Molossia even has its own timezone, known as Molossian Standard Time, separate from the US and observed only within its tight borders. 'We like to be unique and unusual,' Baugh explained. And customs? Yes, there's even a checkpoint. 'There's a variety of things you can't bring into Molossia… like walruses or catfish,' the dictator said. Advertisement Why catfish? 'We got bumped from a magazine article in favor of one about noodling catfish with your bare hands. 'So I banned catfish. Easy to ban something you don't actually have.' Molossia welcomes daily visitors between April and October, and some famous faces have stopped by to check the tiny nation out. Advertisement Baugh revealed: "Jack Black visited in 2015 as a part of a micronation movie that he was planning to make at that time. He visited with a rather a large entourage, all related to the movie. "The movie was to be roughly based on Molossia, of which he had been aware for over 10 years prior. "It was a great visit, and he is a fun guy. It appears now that probably the movie won't be made but again it was wonderful having him visit Molossia." 14 President Baugh pictured with Hollywood star Jack Black Credit: Supplied Advertisement 14 The dictator rules the micronation from his government office Credit: Supplied 14 The country has its own post office and souvenir shop Credit: Supplied 14 It also has a constabulary and jail for unwelcome visitors Credit: Supplied Dryland regattas, broom ball, and burning the Guy Despite living under a dictatorship, residents of Molossia enjoy traditions that are more whimsical rather than oppressive. Advertisement Take the Misfit Regatta, a dry land boat race every two years where cardboard "boats" race across a dry lakeboard. Or broom ball, a lawless national sport featuring brooms, chaos ,a nd minimal structure. Baugh explained: 'It's a sport with no rules… sword fights with broomsticks if you want. 'Games last 10 minutes because it's so exhausting.' Advertisement And then there's Guy Fawkes Night, the British tradition of burning an effigy of the infamous rebel. Why celebrate it? Baugh explained: 'Well, because it's fun. 'Most Molossians are provided their own Guy… we have knockoff English food and burn the Guy in a bonfire.' There's also Moon Pie Day in September, a sugary twist on the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival. Advertisement 'Instead of the moon festival, it's the moon pie festival – and we eat those,' said the Molossian leader. 'We have no problem culturally appropriating, especially if it involves food.' 14 MOLOSSIA DICTATOR, The Republic of Molossia is a micronation located in Nevada, USA, claiming sovereignty over a small plot of land near Dayton. It was founded by Kevin Baugh in 1977 and functions as a hobby turned territorial entity, complete with its own currency, laws, and government. While not recognized by any UN member states, […] Credit: Supplied 14 MOLOSSIA DICTATOR, The Republic of Molossia is a micronation located in Nevada, USA, claiming sovereignty over a small plot of land near Dayton. It was founded by Kevin Baugh in 1977 and functions as a hobby turned territorial entity, complete with its own currency, laws, and government. While not recognized by any UN member states, […] Credit: Supplied Advertisement At war with a country that no longer exists Molossia is, bizarrely, at war with East Germany. Yes, the country that hasn't officially existed since 1990. But Baugh insists the conflict is unresolved. 'I declared war on East Germany in the early 1980s when I was stationed in West Germany with the US Army. Got tired of being woken up for drills at 2 am,' he said. Years later, Baugh rediscovered the declaration in a box. Advertisement He explained: 'Turns out East Germany still exists… sort of. 'There's a tiny island off Cuba that was East German territory, never addressed during reunification. 'It's uninhabited – just marine iguanas – but technically, the war continues.' On Molossia's official website, you can even find war bonds to support the war against East Germany in the value of 10 valora. Advertisement But don't worry if you're short on cookie dough as the website accepts PayPal. The lake navy & space agency Molossia's military might lies not in an army, but in its unlikely Navy. 'We tried having an Army, but the US Olympic Committee used it against us. We tried having an Air Force, but the plane never flew, and anyway it was too small to fit anyone inside,' Baugh wrote on his website. 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The agency also tested the Skylofter, a payload rocket used to study flight dynamics, ultimately launching the Molossian flag into the sky for the first time. 14 Molossia's fortified navy Credit: Supplied Advertisement 14 Molossia's ultra-advanced air and space agency has launched rockets and has its own rocket mail Credit: Supplied A Molossian one-man-show Despite calling himself a dictator, Baugh said he is quite benevolent. 'I don't really get involved in the day-to-day decisions of our citizens' lives,' he explained. 'They kind of just go along with what we're doing. And nobody really wants this job – it's a lot of work.' Advertisement Still, there may be "rigged elections" in Molossia's future. 'You either vote for me or… you vote for me,' he joked. 'Maybe 300 or 400 votes from a population of 38 – dictatorships are known for that.' Any real coups or uprisings? 'No. Again, nobody wants this job. It's just me answering emails, maintaining buildings in Red Square – that's our town square – and running the country.' Advertisement Baugh walks around his country draped in full military uniform, ready to show off his many medals while posing in front of Molossia's monuments. When asked where the condecorations come from, he said: "Some of the medals that I wear were awarded to me by me for doing great things for the nation. "This is in keeping with the look that most dictators have. "However, most of the medals that I wear, as well as as many, many more that I do not wear, were awarded to me by other nations for contributions to their nation or the micronational world in general." Advertisement 14 Molossia is bizarrely at war with East Germany, which ceased to exist in 1990 – but the conflict is unresolved Credit: Supplied 14 MOLOSSIA DICTATOR, The Republic of Molossia is a micronation located in Nevada, USA, claiming sovereignty over a small plot of land near Dayton. It was founded by Kevin Baugh in 1977 and functions as a hobby turned territorial entity, complete with its own currency, laws, and government. While not recognized by any UN member states, […] Credit: Supplied Funding a nation on a shoestring Operating on a "third-world budget," Molossia does need to break away from the cookie dough and spend real world money to make the country run. The country only spends around $2,000 to $3,000 a year, mostly funded through tourism and merchandise. Advertisement 'We try to be imaginative instead of throwing money at things,' Baugh says. Their passports, for instance, are made from cardstock and pocket calendar sleeves – designed to look like 1930s documents so they aren't mistaken for real ones at airports. Future plans for the desert empire Molossia may be small, but its ambitions are… moderately bigger. There's talk of acquiring land across the road, which would double its territory, and dreams of building a tourist railroad. 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Scottish Sun
7 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Desperate Putin brainwashing TODDLERS with cartoons starring baby Trump to indoctrinate kids ‘as early as possible'
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) TWISTED Putin's brainwashing programme has plunged to new depths with a dystopian propaganda cartoon aimed at toddlers. The animated kids' show uses toddler versions of world leaders to plant pro-Putin and anti-Western sentiments before kids can even walk or talk. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 16 Sandpit features animated versions of Putin, Trump, Macron, Musk, Erdogan and Kim (top left to bottom right) Credit: Telegram 16 A gentle, wide-eyed Putin with a bear and a ship symbolising the Black Sea Fleet Credit: Telegram 16 Putin's propaganda machine targets children to boost support for his faltering war Credit: Alamy Putin's chief propagandist, Vladimir Solovyov, spearheaded the new show called Sandpit. The producers say its aim is to "instil patriotism from an early age" and teach Russian infants to "discuss geopolitics". A 30-second trailer posted on Solovyov's Telegram account shows toddler versions of Putin, Trump, Macron, Musk, Erdogan and Kim Jong-un chatting on a video call. At one point, Kim tells Macron he shouldn't be allowed to hang out with the others because 'you're always with your grandma' - a jibe at the French president's wife, Brigitte, who is 24 years his senior. When Trump asks why their call is taking place on a Russian video app, Putin fires back with a jab at Western technology: 'Because your Skype cut out, that's why.' Speaking to The Sun, Dr Alasdair McCallum, a Russian propaganda expert at Australia's Monash University, says: "The Sandpit cartoon is taking things to new extremes. "You have these quite bizarre AI-generated cartoons aimed at toddlers. "The aim is to indoctrinate from as early as possible - before they can even walk.' Dr McCallum thinks the message in the trailer couldn't be more obvious. He explains: 'The idea is that Russia is strong and the West is weak, so Trump, Macron and Musk are depicted as goofy and incapable of making strong decisions, whereas the little toddler version of Putin is very strong and composed.' Inside Putin's chilling 10-year plot to build army of West-hating 'child zombies' to prepare for war with Nato Putin, whose face appears kind and calm, is shown wearing a crisp white judo uniform. Next to the Russian president sit a teddy bear, a symbol of national identity, and a black toy ship, representing the Russian Navy's Black Sea Fleet. Meanwhile Kim, who is currently sending troops and weapons to back Putin's war in Ukraine, comes across as missile-mad, gripping a toy rocket tightly with both hands. Towering missiles also loom in the background of the dictator's room - which, with its lack of windows, resembles a bunker. And to drive the point home further, Kim's email address - BigBadaBoom@ - is a blatant nod to explosions, paired with the mock domain of North Korea's capital. Erdogan, whose email address is LuxuryTurkey@ is also portrayed in a wildly exaggerated style. Wearing the traditional fez, the Turkish president appears against an ornate, Ottoman-inspired backdrop. While presidents like Erdogan and Macron show cracks of anxiety, Trump and Musk grin smugly. The businessman-turned-president sits in a gaudy room, while the Tesla CEO appears fixated on his toy car. The cartoons even have their own avatars: Putin is a bear with a red star, Kim is a mushroom cloud and Trump is the pope blessing worshippers. Many of the references will sail right over kids' heads, Dr McCallum admits, but he says they serve the additional aim of shocking the rest of the world. He explains: 'A lot of Russian propaganda has a kind of shock element to it. "This is why you often see extreme messages about the amount of nukes they could drop on Britain.' He believes the timing of the show's launch is far from a coincidence. UK intelligence revealed in early June that Russia has suffered huge war losses, with about one million of its own soldiers either killed or wounded in the war in Ukraine since February 2022. 16 Sandpit aims to 'instil patriotism from an early age', according to its producers Credit: Telegram 16 A missile-mad Kim Jong-un is shown holding a toy rocket Credit: Telegram 16 A distressed Macron is teased over his older wife Brigitte, who is called his 'grandma' Credit: Telegram 16 Putin has ramped up propaganda aimed at children Credit: AP "They need to replenish that manpower, they have to try to indoctrinate them early,' says Dr McCallum. But he finds it hard to imagine any of Solovyov's eight privileged, Western-educated kids - born to three different women - dying on the front line in Donetsk. "It's always the lower echelons of society that get fed into this propaganda mill and then go to fight and die,' he adds. Sandpit comes as the Kremlin ramps up efforts to target children - both Russian and Ukrainian - with state propaganda. At Russia's Victory Day parades, prams are turned into cardboard tanks and babies are dressed in tiny army uniforms. Youth groups like Yunarmiya, along with school visits featuring war veterans, actively expose kids - even as young as preschool age - to the world of weaponry and military culture. While boys are targeted with militaristic messaging, girls are fed pro-natalist narratives, pushing them toward motherhood and care-giving roles, says Dr McCallum. Teenage girls are reportedly paid as much as £1,000 to have babies in more than 10 regions across Russia, including Oryol and Yaroslavl in the west, and Kemerovo in Siberia. A TV show previously called 'Pregnant at 16' - intended to discourage teenage pregnancies - was rebranded as 'Mama at 16' in January. Each episode now opens with the more optimistic phrase "I'm expecting a child" instead of the former "I'm pregnant". The channel that airs 'Mama at 16' also broadcasts similarly themed shows like 'Supermum', 'Maternity Ward Days', 'Call Me Mum' and 'Mama at 45'. Its website reads: 'Yu is a reality show network about the most important things for a young woman: family, children, mother-in-laws, mums, friends and, of course, love.' 16 Russian President Vladimir Putin and leading TV propagandist Vladimir Solovyov Credit: East2West 16 Who is Vladimir Solovyov? VLADIMIR Solovyov is a leading TV presenter and pro-Putin propagandist. Born in 1963 to a Jewish family in Moscow, he has hosted the prime-time show Evening with Vladimir Solovyov on state channel Russia-1 since 2012. Known for his staunch support of Putin's policies, Solovyov has been a vocal advocate for Russia's war in Ukraine. On the eve of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Solovyov was sanctioned by the EU and banned from entering its member states. Solovyov at the time said: "Today is the day that a righteous operation was launched for the de-Nazification in Ukraine." In August 2022, following proposals by some EU countries to ban tourist visas for Russians, Solovyov even suggested missile strikes on Berlin, Paris, London and Brussels. At school, children face mandatory weekly lessons called 'Conversations about Important Things', where patriotism is drilled in and dying for the Motherland is glorified. The course was introduced in September 2022 - eight months after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. In September 2023, new history textbooks were distributed across Russian schools that glorify Russia, omit criticism of Stalin and portray the West as aggressors. Children are taught that Ukraine is a 'Nazi state' and that Russia's invasion is justified - no different to Putin's claim that it's 'a question of life and death, the question of our historic future as a people'. Dr McCallum explains: 'A central element of Russian propaganda is that Russia and ethnic Russians were the sole victors over Nazism and that Ukraine is an artificial Nazi state. "But this doesn't gel with the reality of a Jewish president [Zelensky] and support from European countries." 16 Russian children enrolled in the Youth Army are seen trying on gas masks Credit: Reuters 16 The Kremlin is trying to boost support for its military among children Credit: Reuters 16 Solovyov is a leading figure on Russia's state-run TV, where he regularly calls for the destruction of the West Credit: East2West More Russians are rejecting Putin's propaganda Contrary to popular belief, the majority of Russians do not rely solely on state-controlled TV. Dependence on state TV dropped sharply from around 90 percent to just over 60 percent from 2013 to 2021, according to the Atlantic Council. Meanwhile, over 85 percent of Russians are said to have internet access. Despite increased Kremlin censorship, independent platforms like YouTube and Telegram remain accessible in Russia. Many people also use virtual private networks (VPNs) to bypass restrictions. The majority of Russians still back the war in Ukraine, according to the latest 2025 surveys from Levada Center, Statista, and VCIOM. But the data reveals a growing appetite for peace talks. Younger generations, in particular, show lower support for the conflict compared to their elders. However, experts warn that public surveys on Russian support for the war should be taken with a pinch of salt, as censorship and fear of repercussions can dictate people's responses. Over 500 Russian teenagers have been arrested at anti-war rallies since 2022, according to human rights group OVD-Info. One of them, Arseny Turbin, was just 15 when he was arrested and accused of joining the Freedom of Russia Legion - a group made up of Russian citizens fighting alongside Ukraine. He was also charged with distributing leaflets critical of Vladimir Putin and the war. Arseny was sentenced to five years in a youth detention centre in November last year - where he remains to this day. 16 A classroom of Russian children in Moscow 16 A Russian boy examines an AK-74 Kalashnikov assault rifle at a military exhibition 16 A Russian military officer accepts flowers from a girl during Victory Day parade Credit: AFP 16 The reality show 'Mama at 16' has been criticised as encouraging girls to become teen mums
