North Korea has announced its decision to deport US soldier Travis King, who made an illegal border crossing from South Korea during a tour in July.
Pyongyang had previously acknowledged detaining King and has now completed its investigation into his “illegal” entry, according to the state news agency KNCA. The statement did not provide specific details about the deportation process, including the timing or destination, nor did it mention King’s current health status.
KCNA reported that the 23-year-old Private King had confessed to illegally entering North Korea due to alleged mistreatment in the US military, his opposition to racism, and disillusionment with what he perceived as an unequal US society. His motives for crossing into North Korea were outlined in the statement.
Private King, a reconnaissance specialist, had been in the US Army since January 2021. He was stationed in South Korea as part of his rotation and was scheduled to return to the US for disciplinary actions after spending two months in detention in South Korea on assault charges. The border crossing occurred while King was on a guided tour of the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ), the buffer area separating North and South Korea.
It’s important to note that North and South Korea are technically still at war, as the Korean War concluded with an armistice in the 1950s, rather than a formal peace treaty. Thousands of US troops remain stationed in South Korea as part of a defense alliance.
In recent years, North Korea has detained several American citizens for illegally entering its territory, excluding those convicted of criminal activities within North Korea. In most cases, these individuals were released and deported within approximately six months. Some were repatriated via air travel through Beijing. Notable examples include missionary Robert Park and US Korean War veteran Merrill Newman.
-BBC-
