US soldier Travis King, who defected from South to North Korea in July, is now under American custody after being expelled by Pyongyang, according to officials.
Reports from US media suggest that Private King was handed over to US authorities in China. The 23-year-old reconnaissance specialist illegally crossed into North Korea in July, citing “inhuman treatment” and racism within the US military as the reasons for his defection. Details about his condition and his time in North Korean custody remain unclear.
Earlier on the same day, North Korea’s state-run news agency announced its decision to deport Private King without providing further details. The statement from North Korea read, “The relevant body in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea has decided to deport US soldier Travis King, who illegally entered the territory of the republic, in accordance with the laws of the republic.”
Private King had been in the army since January 2021 and was stationed in South Korea as part of a unit rotation. Before his defection to North Korea, he had spent two months in detention in South Korea due to charges of assaulting two individuals and damaging a police car. He was released from custody on July 10th.
Although he was supposed to return to the US for disciplinary proceedings, Private King managed to leave the airport and join a guided tour of the Panmunjom border village within the heavily guarded Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) between the two Koreas. It was during this tour that he crossed into North Korea.
The potential legal consequences of his decision to enter North Korea remain uncertain. Pentagon spokesperson Brigadier General Patrick Ryder expressed gratitude to both the Swedish and Chinese governments for their assistance in securing Private King’s release. Notably, Sweden’s embassy in Pyongyang traditionally represents US interests in North Korea due to the absence of diplomatic relations between the US and North Korea.
The US Department of State and the White House did not immediately comment on the matter. A spokesman for Private King’s mother, Claudine Gates, conveyed their gratitude to the US Army and its partners “for a job well done.” The statement also noted that the family has no plans to give interviews “for the foreseeable future.” Private King’s family had previously disclosed instances of discrimination he faced while serving in the US military and expressed concerns about his mental health during his time in South Korean custody.
Comparatively, North Korea’s release of Private King after 71 days was relatively fast when compared to previous instances of Americans held by the country. Some analysts had speculated that Pyongyang might have considered using Private King as a diplomatic bargaining chip. Mick Mulroy, a former deputy assistant secretary of defense and CIA paramilitary officer, commended the return of Private King to US custody, acknowledging that he “is a young man that made some mistakes” but emphasizing the importance of bringing him home as a US soldier.
