Wounded N.K. soldier transferred to general ward from ICU
SUWON, South Korea, Nov. 24 (Yonhap) -- The North Korean soldier who was shot multiple times while defecting to South Korea last week has been transferred to a general ward from the intensive care unit, hospital officials said Friday.
The earlier-than-expected transfer came as the 24-year-old defector, identified only by his surname Oh, has been in a stable condition without a fever after regaining consciousness, according to officials at Ajou University Hospital in Suwon, south of Seoul.
If his condition improves further, Oh will later be moved to a military hospital.
Oh was shot five or six times by North Korean border guards as he raced across the border and through the truce village of Panmunjom on Nov. 13. He was taken to the hospital and operated on later that day, and had a second surgery on Nov. 15.
He began breathing on his own three days later.
During the surgeries, dozens of fully grown parasitic worms were found in his ruptured small intestine, some as long as 27 centimeters (10.6 inches). They show how bad the hygiene conditions are in the impoverished communist nation.
Oh has since recovered quickly enough to talk about South Korean pop music and American movies. After regaining full consciousness, he told doctors he loves girl groups and likes American dramas and movies such as 'CSI.'
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