An American soldier, Private 2nd Class Travis King, 23, has fled to North Korea, reportedly becoming the first American detained in the country in nearly five years. King had been serving a two-month sentence in a South Korean prison for assault charges and was scheduled to return to Fort Bliss, Texas, on Monday. However, instead of boarding the plane, he left the airport and eventually crossed the border into North Korea. According to officials, King was last seen joining a tour of the Korean border village of Panmunjom.
The US Department of Defense has confirmed that King is likely now in North Korean custody and is working with its counterparts to resolve the situation. The American-led UN Command is also involved in the negotiations. The incident has sparked concerns about the soldier’s well-being and the potential for diplomatic tensions between the US and North Korea.
King’s defection is a rare occurrence, as previously only a handful of US soldiers have explicitly defected to North Korea. One notable example is Charles Jenkins, a former US army deserter who defected to North Korea in 1965 and appeared in North Korean propaganda films.
Private 2nd Class Travis King
This incident comes amid heightened tensions over North Korea’s recent barrage of missile tests and the country’s nuclear program. The US has sent a nuclear-armed submarine to South Korea, a move seen as a deterrent against North Korea. The North Korean government has yet to comment on King’s defection, but the situation is being closely monitored by international officials.
King’s background is that of a cavalry scout who joined the US army in January 2021. He was serving in South Korea as part of the 1st Armoured Division. The incident has raised questions about how King managed to evade security measures and cross the heavily armed border into North Korea.
