A North Korean soldier who defected to the South this year is reported to have antibodies linked to the deadly Anthrax infection in his bloodstream, raising fears that the pariah regime may be trying to develop a biological weapon with the disease.

The presence of the antibodies in the unidentified soldier means that he was either exposed to or vaccinated for anthrax, and that he was immune to the bacteria that cause the deadly disease, reported South Korea’s Channel A, according to UPI.

If untreated, anthrax can kill within 24 hours, and about 2,000 people are believed to be infected globally every year.

Despite fears that its hostile neighbour may be using the bacteria for a biological weapons programme, South Korea’s military is yet to secure an anthrax vaccine and is not likely to do so until the end of 2019 said the country’s defence ministry.

It has not been confirmed if the unnamed soldier was Oh Chong Song, 24, who made headlines in November after defecting in a daring dash across the border and being gunned down by colleagues.