SEOUL - A man from the Repbublic of Korea (ROK), who attempted to cross over the river in the demilitarized zone to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), was shot dead on Monday afternoon, the Defense Ministry said.

"As of 2:23 pm, a man wearing an ordinary costume dived into Imjin River, attempting to cross over to North Korea (DPRK)," an official at the Ministry of Defense said by phone.

The river, which flows from the DPRK, is located in Paju, 50 kilometers northwest of Seoul, the country's capital.

The official said the man was shot dead as he disobeyed the military's order to return to ROK, noting that details of the man have yet to be identified.