Over 800 North Koreans have defected to South Korea so far in 2019, government data showed, indicating their annual figure will be similar to that recorded a year earlier.

A total of 828 North Koreans defected to the South during the January-October period, according to data provided by the Unification Ministry handling inter-Korean affairs.

At the current rate, the annual number of North Koreans settling here is expected to be similar to 1,137 registered last year. (Yonhap)