PHENOM .>> WERE WAITING PATIENTLY FOR >> WERE WAITING PATIENTLY FOR HER, WILLIE. HER, WILLIE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. >>> AND NOW TO SOMETHING THATS >>> AND NOW TO SOMETHING THATS HANGING OVER THESE GAMES, OF HANGING OVER THESE GAMES, OF COURSE. COURSE. THE NORTH KOREAN CRISIS. THE NORTH KOREAN CRISIS. AND THAT COUNTRYS STANDING IN AND THAT COUNTRYS STANDING IN THE WORLD. The world countries. PRESIDENT CLINTON ONCE CALLED PRESIDENT CLINTON ONCE CALLED THE DMZ THE SCARIEST PLACE ON THE DMZ THE SCARIEST PLACE ON EARTH. EARTH. WE Saw IT TODAY WITH THE WE VISITED IT TODAY WITH THE HELP OF U.S. ARMY COLONEL STEVENLEE, SECRETARY OF THE UNITEDEVEN LEE, SECRETARY OF THE UNITEDNATIONS COMMAND MILITARY Society COMMAND MILITARYARMISTICE COMMISSION. ARMISTICE COMMISSION.WE WERE GIVEN AN EXCLUSIVE WE WERE GIVEN AN EXCLUSIVEMOMENT BY MOMENT ACCOUNT OF ONE MOMENT BY MOMENT ACCOUNT OF ONENORTH KOREAN SOLDIERS BID FOR NORTH KOREAN SOLDIERS BID FORFREEDOM. FREEDOM .>> HE WAS DRIVING. >> HE WAS DRIVING .>> Reporter: THIS Morning, NBC >> Reporter: THIS MORNING, NBCNEWS IS THE FIRST WESTERN NEWS NEWS IS THE FIRST WESTERN NEWS OUTLET TO GET A GLIMPSE OF THE OUTLET TO GET A GLIMPSE OF THE PATH THAT A DESPERATE NORTHKOREAN SOLDIER TOOK WHEN HE MADE KOREAN SOLDIER TOOK WHEN HE MADEA MAD DASH FOR FREEDOM.A MAD DASH FOR FREEDOM.BACK IN NOVEMBER, THAT SOLDIER BACK IN NOVEMBER, THAT SOLDIEROCHONG SUN SCRAMBLED ACROSS THE OCHONG SUN SCRAMBLED ACROSS THEDMZ, THE HEAVILY GUARDED BORDER DMZ, THE HEAVILY GUARDED BORDERTHAT SEPARATES THE TWO KOREAS. THAT SEPARATES THE TWO KOREAS. ITS WIDELY CONSIDERED ONE OFTHE MOST DANGEROUS PLACES ON THE MOST DANGEROUS PLACES ONEARTH AND WE WERE GIVEN A RARE EARTH AND WE WERE GIVEN A RARETOUR. TOUR. THE DARING ESCAPE THAT THE DARING ESCAPE THAT CAPTIVATED PEOPLE AROUND THE CAPTIVATED PEOPLE AROUND The world countries STARTED IN A SPEEDING WORLD STARTED IN A SPEEDING JEEP. JEEP. CAMERAS ON THE SOUTH KOREAN SIDE CAMERAS ON THE SOUTH KOREAN SIDE CAPTURED THE DEFECTION AS ITUNFOLDED.THE DEFECTION AS IT UNFOLDED. THE VEHICLE BLOWING THROUGH ANORTH KOREAN GUARD POST AND THEN NORTH KOREAN GUARD POST AND THENCRASHING INTO A DITCH. CRASHING INTO A DITCH .>> THAT DITCH THAT YOU SEE ON >> THAT DITCH THAT YOU SEE ONTHEIR SIDE, JUST ABOUT TEN YARDS THEIR SIDE, JUST ABOUT TEN YARDSAWAY, IS WHERE HIS JEEP GOT AWAY, IS WHERE HIS JEEP GOTSTUCK.STUCK. >> HE WAS TRYING TO DRIVE ACROSSTHE DIRT JUST TO DRIVE ACROSS? SS THE DIRT JUST TO DRIVE ACROSS ?>> RIGHT. >> RIGHT.AND THEN WHEN HE REALIZED HE AND THEN WHEN HE REALIZED HECOULDNT, HE GOT OUT. COULDNT, HE Went OUT.AS HE TOOK ABOUT TWO STEPS, AS AS HE TOOK ABOUT TWO STEPS, ASYOU SAW IN THE VIDEO, THERE WERE YOU SAW IN THE VIDEO, THERE WEREABOUT FOUR NORTH KOREAN SOLDIERS ABOUT FOUR NORTH KOREAN SOLDIERSTHAT STARTED TO SHOOT AT HIM. THAT STARTED TO SHOOT AT HIM .>> Reporter: THAT SOLDIER, THE >> Reporter: THAT SOLDIER, THEFIRST DEFECTOR TO PASS THROUGH FIRST DEFECTOR TO PASS THROUGHTHE HEAVILY GUARDED AREA SINCE THE HEAVILY GUARDED AREA SINCE1 984.1984. >> THESE Was already in the 24 >> THESE Was already in the 24 ROUNDS THAT WE HAVE PHYSICALEVIDENCE OF.WE HAVE PHYSICAL EVIDENCE OF .>> Reporter: THE JOINT SECURITY >> Reporter: THE JOINT SECURITYAREA LOCATED IN PANMUNJOM AREA LOCATED IN PANMUNJOMVILLAGE, THE PEACE VILLAGE, VILLAGE, THE PEACE VILLAGE, MEANT TO ENCOURAGE DIPLOMATIC MEANT TO ENCOURAGE DIPLOMATICEXCHANGES AND IS THE ONLY PLACE EXCHANGES AND IS THE ONLY PLACEWHERE NORTH AND SOUTH KOREANS WHERE NORTH AND SOUTH KOREANSCAN STAND FACE TO FACE. CAN STAND FACE TO FACE .>> IT MUST HAVE BEEN ASTONISHING >> IT MUST HAVE BEEN ASTONISHINGTO HAVE GUNSHOTS RING OUT HERE TO HAVE GUNSHOTS RING OUT HEREIN ONE OF THE MOST TENSE PLACES IN ONE OF THE MOST TENSE PLACESIN THE WORLD.IN THE WORLD. >> THIS Sit IS DIFFERENT THANALL OF THE OTHER PLACES ALONGAN ALL OF THE OTHER PLACES ALONGTHE DEMILITARIZED ZONE. THE DEMILITARIZED ZONE.ITS SPECIFICALLY FOR DIALOGUE ITS SPECIFICALLY FOR DIALOGUESO WE SHOULDNT HAVE SO WE SHOULDNT HAVEPROVOCATIONS LIKE THAT. Provocations LIKE THAT.THAT WAS MORE SIGNIFICANT THEY THAT WAS MORE SIGNIFICANT THEYFIRED IN THIS AREA. FIRED IN THIS AREA .>> CAN WE GO SEE WHERE YOU FOUND >> CAN WE GO SEE WHERE YOU FOUNDTHE SOLDIER? THE SOLDIER? >> ITS Simply RIGHT THERE. >> ITS Precisely RIGHT THERE. >> SO HE RAN THE SAME PATH? >> SO HE RAN THE SAME PATH? >> THIS IS BASICALLY THE PATH HERAN.HIS IS BASICALLY THE PATH HE RAN. IT WAS QUITE REMARKABLE WHEN YOU IT WAS QUITE REMARKABLE WHEN YOU SEE THE VIDEO, RIGHT, OF HIM SEE THE VIDEO, RIGHT, OF HIM RUNNING AND HE WAS GETTING SHOTFIVE TO SIX TIMES. GETTING SHOT FIVE TO SIX TIMES .>> HES TAKING BULLETS ON THIS >> HES TAKING BULLETS ON THISWHOLE RUN? WHOLE RUN ?>> RIGHT .>> RIGHT .>> BUT HE WASNT FOUND RIGHT >> BUT HE WASNT FOUND RIGHTAWAY. AWAY. >> NO. >> NO. >> IT TOOK SOUTH KOREAN SOLDIERS >> IT TOOK SOUTH KOREAN SOLDIERS AND U.S. SERVICEMEN NEARLY 15 AND U.S. SERVICEMEN NEARLY 15 MINUTES TO FIND THE DEFECTOR. MINUTES TO FIND THE DEFECTOR. YOU CAN Meet HIM HERE HIDING YOU CAN SEE HIM HERE HIDING UNDER LEAVES, HELPLESS .>> THE SOUTH KOREAN SOLDIERS >> THE SOUTH KOREAN SOLDIERSCRAWLED UP FROM THIS HILL TO CRAWLED UP FROM THIS HILL TORESCUE HIM? RESCUE HIM? >> THATS BECAUSE WE KNEW THATTHEIR GUARD POST THERE COULD SEE THEIR GUARD POST THERE COULD SEEHERE AND SO INSTEAD OF JUST HERE AND SO INSTEAD OF JUSTWALKING UP TO HIM, THEY WALKING UP TO HIM, THEYLITERALLY HAD TO CRAWL ON THEIR LITERALLY HAD TO CRAWL ON THEIRBELLY INCH BY INCH TO GET TO BELLY INCH BY INCH TO GET TOHIM. HIM. >> FOR ALL YOU KNEW, IF THEY SEE >> FOR ALL YOU KNEW, IF THEY SEE HIM BEING RESCUED, THEY TAKEANOTHER SHOT? CUED, THEY TAKE ANOTHER SHOT ?>> RIGHT .>> RIGHT.EXACTLY. EXACTLY. WE Assessed TO BE PRUDENT WE ASSESSED TO BE PRUDENT MEASURES TO RESCUE HIM BUT ALSO MEASURES TO RESCUE HIM BUT ALSO TRY TO PROTECT OUR FORCES. TRY TO PROTECT OUR FORCES. >> THATS INCREDIBLE. >> THATS INCREDIBLE. THE NORTH KOREAN TOWER IS RIGHT THE NORTH KOREAN TOWER IS RIGHT THERE. THERE. THEY COULD — THEY PROBABLY ARE THEY COULD — THEY PROBABLY ARE WATCHING US RIGHT NOW. WATCHING US RIGHT NOW. >> YES, THEY ARE. >> YES, THEY ARE. >> THEY PROBABLY KNOW WHAT WERE >> THEY PROBABLY KNOW WHAT WERE TALKING ABOUT. TALKING ABOUT. >> BULLET HOLES STILL SCAR THISWALL.LLET HOLES STILL SCAR THIS WALL. >> I COUNT ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR, FIVE.ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR, FIVE. >> Reporter: AS THE DEFECTOR WASMEDEVACED TO SEOUL WHERE HE WASS MEDEVACED TO SEOUL WHERE HE WASTREATED FOR SEVERAL GUNSHOT TREATED FOR SEVERAL GUNSHOTWOUNDS.WOUNDS. COLONEL LEE WORKED TO LOWER THE COLONEL LEE WORKED TO LOWER THE TENSION RICOCHETING THROUGH THEAREA.ON RICOCHETING THROUGH THE AREA. >> WE OPENED THAT DOOR AND USEDA BULLHORN WHICH IS VERY UNUSUAL A BULLHORN WHICH IS VERY UNUSUALFOR US TO MAKE SURE THEY GOT THE FOR US TO MAKE SURE THEY GOT THEMESSAGE. MESSAGE. >> WHAT WAS THE MESSAGE ?>> THE MESSAGE WAS VERY SIMPLY >> THE MESSAGE WAS VERY SIMPLYTHAT, HEY, ONE OF YOUR SOLDIERS THAT, HEY, ONE OF YOUR SOLDIERSDIME OUR SIDE. DIME OUR SIDE.WE HAVE HIM. WE HAVE HIM.HE NEEDS MEDICAL ATTENTION. HE NEEDS MEDICAL ATTENTION.HES Going THAT NOW. HES Going THAT NOW.WELL Handling AN INVESTIGATION WELL CONDUCT AN INVESTIGATIONAND WHEN ITS DONE, ILL COME AND WHEN ITS DONE, ILL COMEAND TALK TO YOU ABOUT IT. AND TALK TO YOU ABOUT IT.WE DID THAT ONCE. WE DID THAT ONCE.THE NORTH KOREANS ACTUALLY THE NORTH KOREANS ACTUALLYSIGNALED TO US WITH A FLASHLIGHT SIGNALED TO US WITH A FLASHLIGHTTHAT THEY WANTED TO HEAR IT THAT THEY WANTED TO HEAR ITAGAIN BECAUSE THEY DIDNT REALLY AGAIN BECAUSE THEY DIDNT REALLYHEAR IT WELL.HEAR IT WELL.SO WE ACTUALLY READ THE MESSAGE SO WE ACTUALLY READ THE MESSAGEAGAIN SO WE KNEW THEY RECEIVED, AGAIN SO WE KNEW THEY RECEIVED, AND SO I THINK THAT HELPED TO AND SO I THINK THAT HELPED TOALSO DE-ESCALATE AND MAKE SURE ALSO DE-ESCALATE AND MAKE SURETHEY KNEW WHAT HAPPENED AND HOW THEY KNEW WHAT HAPPENED AND HOWWE READ THE SITUATION. WE READ THE SITUATION .>> YOU LITERALLY SHOUTED IT OVER >> YOU LITERALLY SHOUTED IT OVERA BULLHORN? A BULLHORN ?>> RIGHT. >> RIGHT.FROM THIS AREA SO THAT THEY FROM THIS AREA SO THAT THEYCOULD CLEARLY HEAR IT, YEAH. COULD CLEARLY HEAR IT, YEAH .>> BECAUSE IF YOU CALLED, WHAT >> BECAUSE IF YOU CALLED, WHATWOULD HAVE HAPPENED? WOULD HAVE HAPPENED ?>> WE Actually DID TRY TO CALL. >> WE Actually DID TRY TO CALL.THEY DIDNT ANSWER THE PHONE. THEY DIDNT ANSWER THE PHONE.THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN A VERY GOOD THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN A VERY GOODTIME FOR THEM TO PICK UP THE TIME FOR THEM TO PICK UP THEPHONE.PHONE. >> I Anticipate SO .>> Reporter: THE U.N. COMMAND >> Reporter: THE U.N. COMMANDDOES CALL NORTH KOREA SOME THREE DOES CALL NORTH KOREA SOME THREETIMES A DAY. TIMES A DAY .>> THIS IS THE BAT PHONE? >> THIS IS THE BAT PHONE ?>> YEAH. >> YEAH .>> DONT WORRY. >> DONT WORRY.IM NOT GOING TO PICK IT UP. IM NOT GOING TO PICK IT UP .>> Reporter: BUT North koreans >> Reporter: BUT NORTH KOREAHASNT PICKED UP THE PHONE HASNT PICKED UP THE PHONEEITHER SINCE 2013. EITHER SINCE 2013. >> THATS INCREDIBLE. >> THATS INCREDIBLE.THE ACCESS AND THE PEEK BEHIND THE ACCESS AND THE PEEK BEHINDTHE CURTAIN. THE CURTAIN .>> IT WAS. >> IT WAS.THE WHOLE WORLD WATCHED THAT. THE WHOLE WORLD WATCHED THAT.SO EXTRAORDINARY TO SEE A NORTH SO EXTRAORDINARY TO SEE A NORTHKOREAN SOLDIER DEFECT AND HE WAS KOREAN SOLDIER DEFECT AND HE WASUNDER A HAIL OF GUNFIRE. UNDER A HAIL OF GUNFIRE.THIS IS THE FIRST TIME A WESTERN THIS IS THE FIRST TIME A WESTERNNEWS ORGANIZATION HAS SEEN THE NEWS ORGANIZATION HAS SEEN THEBULLET HOLES AND HEARD ABOUT BULLET HOLES AND HEARD ABOUTWHAT WENT ON. WHAT WENT ON .>> AND THAT COMMUNICATION. >> AND THAT COMMUNICATION.YOUD NEVER EXPECT THAT.YOUD NEVER EXPECT THAT .>> A BULLHORN. >> A BULLHORN.ITS NOT THE WAY THE, YOU KNOW, ITS NOT THE WAY THE, YOU KNOW, U.S ./ SOUTH KOREAN SIDE WOULD U.S ./ SOUTH KOREAN SIDE WOULDLIKE TO HAVE COMMUNICATION GO LIKE TO HAVE COMMUNICATION GOBUT SOMETIMES THATS ALL THERE.
