North Korea makes first comments on U.S. soldier who crossed the border

North Korea confirms Travis King is within the nation

North Korea confirms soldier Travis King is in the country

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SEOUL, South Korea – North Korea mentioned Wednesday {that a} U.S. soldier who bolted into the North throughout the closely armed Korean border final month did so after being disillusioned on the inequality of American society.

Non-public 2nd Class Travis King entered North Korea whereas on a tour of a Korean border village, turning into the primary American detained within the North in practically 5 years.

“We won’t confirm these alleged feedback,” a U.S. Protection Division official mentioned to CBS Information. “We stay targeted on his protected return. The Division’s precedence is to carry Non-public King house, and that we’re working by all accessible channels to realize that end result.”

“Based on an investigation by a related organ of the DPRK, Travis King admitted that he illegally intruded into the territory of the DPRK,” the North’s official Korean Central Information Company mentioned.

Based on KCNA, King instructed investigators that he had determined to enter North Korea as a result of he “harbored in poor health feeling in opposition to inhuman maltreatment and racial discrimination throughout the U.S. Military.”

The U.S. in July mentioned North Korea responded to outreach about Private Travis King, who crossed into North Korea the identical month. The assertion marked the U.S.’s first public acknowledgment of Pyongyang’s response to the scenario. The Pentagon mentioned it used established channels with North Korea on the United Nations Command to make the requests about King.

King had been scheduled to return to the U.S. for separation from the Military after serving time in a South Korean detention facility for assaulting two South Koreans and kicking a patrol automotive. The soldier was being escorted to the industrial airport exterior Seoul. He parted methods from his escort — and skipped his flight — earlier than making his technique to North Korea. KCNA mentioned King accompanied vacationers to the joint safety space of Panmunjom on July 18.

U.S. Private 2nd Class Travis T. King, wearing a black shirt and black cap, is seen in this picture taken during a tour of the tightly controlled Joint Security Area on the border between North Korea and South Korea, at the truce village of Panmunjom, Sou — U.S. Non-public 2nd Class Travis T. King, carrying a black shirt and black cap, is seen on this image taken throughout a tour of the tightly managed Joint Safety Space on the border between North Korea and South Korea, on the truce village of Panmunjom, South Korea, July 18, 2023.

Sarah Leslie/Handout through Reuters

It says King additionally expressed his willingness to hunt refuge in North Korea or a 3rd nation, saying that he “was disillusioned on the unequal American society.”

North Korea says an investigation into King would proceed.

The statements marked North Korea’s first official feedback on King since his entrance to the North.

Eleanor Watson contributed reporting