The number of North Korean defectors coming to South Korea in the first nine months of 2024 reached 181, marking an increase from the same period last year, a unification ministry official said Tuesday Of the total, 76 -- 12 men and 64 women -- arrived in the South in the July-September period, bringing the total number of North Korean defectors to 34,259, the official said on the condition of anonymity. "(The number of defectors in the third quarter) is slightly higher compared to the same period last year and the second quarter of this year. However, given the quarterly fluctuations and various factors, we need to closely monitor the total number of arrivals for this year," the official added. The number of North Korean defectors coming to the South has been on the upswing after sharply dwindling in recent years due largely to Pyongyang's strict border lockdowns to curb the COVID-19 pandemic. Source: Yonhap News Agency