Travis King, a 23-year-old soldier, entered North Korea last month citing his dissatisfaction with the inhumane treatment and racial discrimination within the US Army, according to state-run news agency KCNA. This is the first official comment from Pyongyang regarding King, who crossed from South Korea without permission on July 18. KCNA reported that King expressed his desire to seek refuge in North Korea or another country due to disillusionment with the unequal American society. Pentagon spokesman Martin Meiner stated that they cannot confirm King’s alleged comments and their primary focus remains on bringing him back home, as reported by NBC News.
On August 3, North Korea confirmed the detention of Travis King, making him the first US soldier to cross into the country in 40 years. The confirmation was made through the UN Command, the multinational military force responsible for monitoring the demilitarized border zone. The UN Command used its direct phone line to the North Korean Army to establish contact. However, to avoid hindering efforts to bring King home, they refrained from providing further details. The State Department described the call as inconsequential and emphasized that diplomatic outreach has gone unanswered thus far.
Travis King was last seen crossing the DMZ on July 18. He had been released from a South Korean prison eight days prior after serving a two-month sentence for assault. He was supposed to return to the US to potentially face additional disciplinary action. However, he claimed to have lost his passport at the airport and was permitted to leave. He then joined a tour to the border village of Panmunjom and reportedly crossed into North Korea voluntarily, according to officials and witnesses. Nevertheless, King’s family finds it challenging to believe this account. His sister, Jaqueda Gates, expressed doubts about her brother suddenly disappearing, suggesting there may be more to the story.
Uncle Myron Gates also remarked on King’s uncharacteristic behavior following the death of Gates’ 6-year-old son in the US. He vowed to continue fighting for King’s return and expressed the family’s anticipation of hearing from the Biden administration. In the midst of this situation, North Korea took the opportunity to criticize the new US special envoy on North Korean human rights, Julie Turner, asserting that her past criticisms reflected US hostility towards Pyongyang. The statement warned that continued US criticism could backfire and pose significant security risks.
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