The defense ministry is closer to confirming that the person who crossed the border into North Korea Saturday was a North Korean man who defected to South Korea about a year ago.

A ministry official said Monday that the border crosser is presumed to be a North Korean defector in his early 30s who crossed the Military Demarcation Line in Goseong, Gangwon Province in November 2020.

The official said the person captured on security camera footage from the border area has striking similarities in appearance with the man who defected from the North a year ago.

The official said that footage from after the man crossed over on Saturday showed four individuals, including the man in question, north of the border, adding that details are being examined.

The official said no communist-related activities are suspected and that Pyongyang has also notified South Korea that it received its military notice sent on Sunday regarding the incident.