A North Korean gymnast took a 10-foot leap over a barbed wire fence, landmines, and trigger sensors across the Demilitarized Zone and landed safely in South Korea. The man, who is described as being in his late 20s, crossed into South Korea via the DMZ around 7 p.m. on November 3rd, evading capture until he was found by South Korean soldiers around 10 a.m. the next day.

According to The Korean Herald, he was found less than a mile from the border and was made to demonstrate twice how he was able to jump over the 10-foot fence to substantiate his claims that he was a civilian wanting to defect. Authorities believe his light weight and gymnastics experience lend credibility to his story and likely aided in his escape.

According to the NPR article, the last known North Korean defection took place in August 2019, when a soldier crossed the DMZ. An escape by another North Korean soldier made the news in 2017 when he drove an army truck through the border amid a hail of gunfire from his fellow soldiers.

Could you imagine getting this maneuver wrong? Truly an incredible feat that took a lot of courage and skill.