Paju: A 95-year-old former North Korean soldier, Ahn Hak-sop, was stopped by troops as he attempted to cross a border bridge back to the North. Ahn, who was jailed for decades in South Korea for maintaining his communist beliefs, approached the Unification Bridge in the border city of Paju, armed with a North Korean flag and a cane. Soldiers at the southern checkpoint warned him against proceeding.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Ahn is one of six elderly former North Korean soldiers and spies who have not renounced their allegiance to Pyongyang. They have recently requested the South Korean government to facilitate their repatriation to the North. After a 10-minute standoff, Ahn turned back and was transported to a hospital due to health concerns.

Access to the bridge, located outside the Civilian Control Line near the Demilitarized Zone, is restricted. Crossing without approval is punishable under South Korean law. Known as an "unconverted long-term prisoner," Ahn was captured in South Korea in 1953 during the Korean War while serving in the North Korean military.

Ahn, originally from Ganghwa Island, west of Seoul, was convicted of treason and served 42 years in prison before his release in 1995. At a press conference prior to his crossing attempt, Ahn alleged that he endured torture and violence for refusing to renounce the North. Since his release, he has remained in South Korea, continuing his opposition until U.S. troops leave the peninsula.

In September 2000, under President Kim Dae-jung, South Korea repatriated 63 unconverted long-term prisoners to North Korea after an inter-Korean summit in June that year. However, Seoul has not repatriated additional prisoners since then.