South Korea's unification ministry said Friday that through consultations, government agencies will decide who will foot the medical bill for a wounded North Korean soldier defecting to the South via the border.

The 24-year-old man, identified only by his surname Oh, was shot and wounded by his fellow soldiers on Nov. 13 when he crossed the military demarcation line to defect. It will likely cost more than 100 million won ($92,260) to treat him, but who will cover the costs has not been decided.

"As the medical costs are unprecedentedly high, if relevant ministries make an official request for the issue, we plan to decide who will foot the bill through consultations," Lee Eugene, vice spokesperson at the ministry, told a regular press briefing.