A US soldier is in North Korean custody. What happens now?
Travis King joins a list of Americans held by North Korea—Americans who have had mostly bad experiences.
PATRICK TUCKER | JULY 18, 2023
NORTH KOREA ARMY
A U.S. soldier who was facing disciplinary action crossed the border into North Korea, which has detained him, U.S. officials said Tuesday.
The United States is “working with our [Korean People’s Army] counterparts to resolve this incident,” Col. Isaac Taylor, U.S. Forces Korea public affairs spokesperson, said in a statement.
The soldier, Private Travis King, was originally assigned to 6th Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, according to a statement from Army spokesperson Bryce Dubee. King “is currently administratively attached to 1st Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division. His awards include the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Defense Service Medal and Overseas Service Ribbon,” according to the statement.
King had just been released from a South Korean prison on assault charges and was awaiting transfer back to Texas’s Fort Bliss to face additional disciplinary actions, the Associated Press reported. King was at the airport when he “joined a tour of the Korean border village of Panmunjom [and then] he ran across the border,” AP wrote.
https://www.defenseone.com/threats/2023/07/us-soldier-north-korean-custody-what-happens-now/388620/
