A North Korean soldier crossed the heavily fortified Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) late Wednesday night and defected to South Korean forces, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said Thursday.

The Washington Post reported that the unidentified soldier made the crossing just before midnight, and was detained along the Imjin River by South Korean forces.

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"A South Korean soldier on guard duty first found an unidentified object floating in the river via thermal observation devices, which was later confirmed as a person. The military then took him safely into custody in accordance with due protocol," an official told Yonhap News Agency.

"The man is an active-duty soldier, and he expressed his desire to defect to the South. Related procedures are underway," the official added.

It was unclear whether the man was injured during his successful escape, as another North Korean soldier was in 2017 when he led soldiers on a dramatic chase during his successful defection attempt while being shot several times.

The U.S. and North Korea are reportedly in talks to plan a third summit between President Trump Donald John TrumpSteele Dossier sub-source was subject of FBI counterintelligence probe Pelosi slams Trump executive order on pre-existing conditions: It 'isn't worth the paper it's signed on' Trump 'no longer angry' at Romney because of Supreme Court stance MORE and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un Kim Jong UnPelosi knocks Trump over refusal to commit to peaceful transfer of power Satellite images indicate North Korea preparing for massive military parade South Korea warns of underwater missile test launch by North Korea MORE to discuss denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, though no substantive discussions have yet begun following Trump's historic visit to the DMZ and steps into North Korea.

A second summit between the two leaders earlier this year ended without an agreement to further work towards denuclearization or the reduction of U.S. sanctions being signed.