The case of Private Travis King; what has the North Korean government done with our U.S. Soldier?
The Soldier reportedly broke from a DMZ tour group and dashed across the North Korean border
Questions remain about the fate of U.S. Army Private Travis King, a 23-year-old American Soldier, who left a tour group at the Korean Demilitarized Zone last week and crossed into North Korea at the sensitive site.
The secretive North Korean government has increasingly isolated itself from much of the world and has provided no comment of any kind since King made his crossing.
King had been scheduled on a flight out of South Korea to return to his home station at Ft. Bliss, Texas. He had been in South Korea as part of a deployment and Fort Bliss was his home station.
He was escorted to the Incheon International Airport. According to a Pentagon spokesperson, King was escorted as far as security at the airport and was separated from his escort there.
He apparently left the airport and somehow later mingled with a group of tourists that were at the DMZ. Details of how he was able to travel to join the group are unclear.
At the DMZ tour-group site, he reportedly ran over to the line to North Korea.
He has not been heard from since.
King had recently been jailed in South Korea, by Korean officials, following conviction of an assault on a Korean civilian and damaging property. In lieu of a fine equivalent to approximately $3900, he served 48 days in jail before being returned to U.S. Forces, Korea.
U.S. military officials are reportedly investigating the incident.
North Korea, which removed most foreigners during COVID has not been in contact with U.S. officials. Sweden, which had a delegation in North Korea, often acted as intermediaries on behalf of the U.S. was among those delegations that left during COVID.
The United Nations be the only other possible channel for communication with the so-called Hermit Kingdom.
Army leaders do not have definitive knowledge as to King’s rationale for the move.
“He is a young soldier; he was facing consequences. I imagine he had a lot of negative feelings,” Army Secretary Christine Wormuth said.
The North Koreans are likely puzzled by his move as well. A handful of Americans have ventured into North Korea for a variety of reasons.
The treatment by officials there is not certain but several previous individuals who crossed the borders were returned.
North Koreans may treat King as a law breaker. Crossing the border is illegal. While there is not a significant clamor to cross, the North Koreans can use the law as a pretext for discouraging adventurers from attempting to enter the country illegally.
Certainly, he will be evaluated for intelligence value. Given his rank and recent circumstances with legal problems, it is likely he has little current knowledge of significant sensitive information. He served in the Army as a cavalry scout since joining in 2021.
It is vital that our government does not let up on actions aimed at getting Private King back into U.S. custody. His mental state is in question, and he likely needs treatment.
He will be held accountable for his deliberate actions but that is best left for U.S. Army officials in his chain of command to decide and not with the North Koreans.
He will be allowed to receive medical care and legal representation in the U.S., neither of which are guaranteed by a nation that will not even acknowledge that they hold him.
James Hutton is a former assistant secretary at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and is a retired colonel in the U.S. Army. Follow him on Twitter @jehutton
Good article !