An American official told Reuters on Wednesday that soldier Travis King, who fled to North Korea two months ago, is now in the custody of the United States after being expelled by Pyongyang and sent to China. While details regarding the diplomatic efforts that led to King’s handover remain limited, this development is a rare example of cooperation among the United States, North Korea, and China. The State Department indicated that King is expected to return to the United States later on Wednesday.
King (23 years old) unexpectedly entered North Korea from the south on July 18 while on a civilian tour along their heavily fortified border, and he was immediately detained by North Korea. Washington has refrained from declaring him a prisoner of war despite ongoing debate within the government. North Korea appears to have treated his case as one of illegal immigration. The Korean Central News Agency reported that King informed Pyongyang that he entered the country illegally because he was disillusioned with inequality in American society.
The Swedish government, which represents American interests in North Korea due to the absence of diplomatic representation from Washington, facilitated King’s retrieval and transported him to China. King joined the U.S. Army in January 2021 and faced two charges of assault in South Korea. He pleaded guilty in one case of assault and damaging public property for vandalizing a police car, according to court documents. He was set to face further disciplinary actions upon his return to the United States.
