SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea announced on Wednesday that a U.S. soldier who fled across the heavily fortified Korean border last month did so due to disillusionment with the inequality present in American society and racial discrimination within its own Army.
This marks North Korea’s first official acknowledgment of the detention of Pvt. Travis King, who had been stationed in South Korea and ran into North Korea during a civilian tour of a border village on July 18. He is the first American to be confirmed detained in the North in almost five years.
The official Korean Central News Agency, referring to an investigation by relevant North Korean authorities, reported that King conveyed his decision to enter North Korea stemmed from his “negative feelings towards inhumane treatment and racial bias within the U.S. Army.”
The report also noted that King expressed a desire to seek refuge in North Korea or another country, as he had become disenchanted with the unequal nature of American society.
KCNA functions as a propaganda outlet, carefully framing content to align with North Korea’s official stance that the United States is an adversarial force.
The report stated that North Korea’s inquiry into King’s “illegal” entry would continue. It is impossible to verify the authenticity of the statements attributed to King in North Korea’s state media.
The United States, South Korea, and other nations have accused North Korea of using foreign detainees to secure diplomatic concessions. Some former detainees have asserted that their admissions of guilt, made while in North Korean custody, were coerced.
A U.S. Defense Department official, speaking anonymously due to the sensitive nature of the matter, stated that the U.S. had no means to corroborate North Korea’s assertions regarding King. The official noted that the Pentagon was exploring all available channels to repatriate King to the U.S.
Soo Kim, an expert with Virginia-based consultancy LMI and a former CIA analyst, remarked, “This fully embodies North Korean propaganda. King, as a U.S. citizen held in North Korea, has no influence over how (North Korea) chooses to portray its narrative.” She continued, “Regarding King’s release, it hinges on North Korea’s decisions. The regime might attempt to ‘negotiate’ King’s fate in exchange for economic concessions from the U.S. More likely, negotiations will be arduous, with Pyongyang dictating terms.”
King’s family has conveyed that his mother, Claudine Gates, is appealing to North Korea to treat her son humanely. A family spokesperson, Jonathan Franks, stated, “She’s a concerned mother seeking her son’s well-being and would greatly appreciate a phone call from him. Lastly, she has communicated with the Army tonight and values the Defense Department’s statement affirming its commitment to bringing Travis home.”
Tae Yongho, formerly a minister at the North Korean Embassy in London before defecting in 2016, speculated that North Korea might eventually release King due to the absence of immediate indications about accepting King as a refugee in the North, coupled with discussions of resettlement in a third country. Tae, now a lawmaker in South Korea, also highlighted North Korea’s characterization of King as an illegal entrant, rather than someone who entered the North “voluntarily.”
Earlier, Tae had suggested that North Korea would be reluctant to detain a low-ranking soldier like King for an extended period, as he would not offer substantial U.S. intelligence and would necessitate considerable costs and resources to maintain.
Some analysts posited that North Korea might attempt to link King’s release to the reduction of U.S. military activities with South Korea, given escalated tensions between the historical adversaries.
Since the beginning of the prior year, North Korea has conducted over 100 weapons tests, many of which it framed as warnings against the expansion of U.S.-South Korean military drills viewed as rehearsal for invasion. The allies are set to initiate major annual drills next Monday, perceived as rehearsal for invasion by North Korea.
During a trilateral summit at Camp David on Friday, the leaders of the U.S., South Korea, and Japan are expected to unveil plans for extended military collaboration on ballistic missile defense in response to North Korea’s evolving nuclear threats, according to U.S. officials.
On Tuesday, North Korea criticized U.S.-led efforts for an open U.N. Security Council session on its human rights record, branding it “despicable” and motivated solely by Washington’s geopolitical ambitions.
North Korean Vice Foreign Minister Kim Son Gyong asserted that the council should address the American human rights issue first, labeling the United States a depraved “empire of evils.” In a statement carried by state media, Kim accused the U.S. of propagating racial discrimination, gun-related crimes, child maltreatment, and forced labor.
At 23 years old, King was among approximately 28,000 U.S. troops stationed in South Korea as a deterrent against potential North Korean aggression. At the time of his border-crossing during a civilian tour, he was meant to be en route to Fort Bliss, Texas, following his release from detention in South Korea on an assault conviction.
U.S. officials indicated that he has been classified as AWOL (Absent Without Leave), punishable by confinement, pay forfeiture, or dishonorable discharge, depending on the duration of absence and whether they were apprehended or returned voluntarily.
The U.S. and North Korea, adversaries in the 1950-53 Korean War, remain technically at war since the conflict concluded with a truce, not a peace treaty. The two nations lack diplomatic ties, with consular services for Americans previously facilitated by Sweden, though Swedish diplomats reportedly have not visited North Korea since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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