American Soldier Detained in North Korea after Crossing Military Demarcation Line
A plainclothes American soldier has been detained in North Korea on Tuesday after crossing the Military Demarcation Line separating the country from South Korea, according to U.S. officials. The soldier, identified as Private 2nd Class Travis King, had just completed a two-month stay in a South Korean detention facility following a physical altercation with locals.
Throughout his time in the detention facility, King expressed his desire not to return to America, according to a senior defense official. On Tuesday, while participating in a joint security area orientation tour, King willfully crossed the Military Demarcation Line without authorization, entering the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK).
A U.S. Forces Korea spokesperson confirmed that King is currently in DPRK custody, and efforts are underway to resolve the situation through collaboration with the Korean People’s Army (KPA). The soldier, who serves under U.S. Forces Korea and the U.S. Army, was due to face disciplinary action from military officials, as confirmed by a senior U.S. defense official.
Prior to his detainment, King was released from the South Korea detention facility and spent approximately one week under observation at a U.S. base in South Korea. He was scheduled to board a flight back to the U.S. and was escorted to the airport. However, due to security restrictions, the military escort could not accompany him past the airport security checkpoint. Consequently, King proceeded to the terminal alone and later embarked on the tour of the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) on Tuesday.
According to an official interviewed by Fox News, King was supposed to return to the U.S. as he was to be separated from the military for cause. However, he missed his flight. It was also noted that at the time of the incident, King was on a personal tour and was wearing civilian clothes.
The state media of North Korea has yet to comment on the matter. A former CIA station chief, Dan Hoffman, emphasized the need for a thorough investigation into the incident, highlighting the highly surveilled nature of the demilitarized zone. Hoffman also expressed concern over North Korea’s potential use of the detained soldier as leverage in negotiations with the United States.
The State Department confirmed awareness of the incident and acknowledged the Department of Defense’s reports regarding the soldier crossing into North Korean territory without authorization. However, due to privacy considerations, no further comment was provided at the time. U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin assured that they are closely monitoring and investigating the situation to ensure the welfare of the soldier.
The incident serves as a reminder of the State Department’s advisory against traveling to North Korea, citing the serious risk of arrest and long-term detention of U.S. nationals. The U.S. government lacks diplomatic or consular relations with North Korea and is unable to provide emergency services to its citizens in the country.
While cases of Americans or South Koreans defecting to North Korea are rare, more than 30,000 North Koreans have fled to South Korea since the end of the Korean War. The Korean border village of Panmunjom, located within the Demilitarized Zone, is jointly managed by the U.N. Command and North Korea.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.