Awful. May he find peace.
This, in spite of the fact that apparently he did in fact defect as opposed to drunkenly stumbling through a minefield. He may have needed 10 beers to get up the courage to actually go through with it.
But I'm still struggling with the issue of his leading a patrol along the SK/NK border after downing even 1 beer. My personal observations are limited to what went on at the Peace Village (including Norks actually grabbing and trying to pull over the line American and S. Korean troops pulling guard duty on "our" side) and stories from folks who were stationed along the DMZ (from right up on the fence to being a few ridges back from the line). They are monitored - both by their own squad-, platoon-, and company-mates as well as by more Military Intelligence than you can shake your fist at. Nobody, according to the narratives, goes drinking right before leading a patrol, and nobody who has just been drinking goes on a patrol.
There is more to this story than will ever be told. That notwithstanding, the Norks are apparently evil enough, paranoid enough, and just plain crazy enough to have done everything folks say they have done, and a bit more. Including the keeping of political prisoners and POWs as a means of control over their upper military echelons. (Mutual assurance of adherence to the party line - "If I go down I'm taking all of you with me" cuts both ways.)
stay safe.
