North Korea "locks" fate of US soldiers who illegally crossed the border

The information was quoted by Reuters from the North Korean state news agency KCNA. It is unclear when and where North Korea plans to deport this American soldier.

Pyongyang claimed Travis King "wanted refuge in North Korea or elsewhere."

Travis King at the DMZ before his arrest in July. Photo: Reuters

Travis King. Photo: NY Post

Earlier, a tourist named Sarah Leslie from New Zealand took a photo of Travis King, 23, wearing a black shirt and hat standing looking towards the demilitarized zone (DMZ) dividing North and South Korea. This American soldier was visiting the DMZ with 42 other people at that time.

According to Ms. Leslie, the group of 43 people departed from Seoul, South Korea, on a bus early one morning in late July 2023. She noticed that Travis King appeared to be traveling alone and did not talk to anyone. This American soldier bought a hat at a gift shop in the DMZ.

The group was asked to hand in their passports at a building jointly run by North and South Korea at the border. As they left the building and took photos around the area, Travis King “ran towards the border” and “laughed loudly”. Soldiers shouted “Get him” and Travis King was detained by the North Koreans.

Before crossing the border, the American soldier spent two months in prison in South Korea for assault. According to Travis King's family, their son recently suffered a mental breakdown after the death of his 6-year-old cousin while he was stationed in South Korea.

Pham Nghia

Source: https://nld.com.vn/thoi-su-quoc-te/trieu-tien-chot-so-phan-linh-my-vuot-bien-trai-phep-20230927203958972.htm