WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Securing the return of citizens from North Korea has always been a challenge for the United States. Now, with limited communication between the countries, the task may be even harder in the case of Private Travis King, according to diplomats and negotiators.
Private King, an active-duty U.S. Army soldier stationed in South Korea, entered North Korea while on a civilian tour of the Demilitarized Zone. U.S. Army Secretary Christine Wormuth stated that Washington is fully mobilized in trying to contact Pyongyang about him, although North Korea has not responded yet.
Since President Joe Biden took office, contacts between the U.S. and North Korea have almost ceased. The Trump administration’s efforts to negotiate over North Korea’s nuclear weapons program did not succeed, and North Korea sealed its borders due to COVID-19.
This situation differs from previous negotiations. Retired U.S. ambassador Thomas Hubbard, who traveled to Pyongyang in 1994 to bring back the last serving member of the U.S. military held in North Korea, explained, “The North Koreans have shown no interest in dialogue with us at this point… The North Koreans saw they had some stake in the relationship with the United States.”
U.S. negotiators have limited options in reaching North Korea due to the absence of diplomatic relations. The United States attempted to contact North Korea about Private King through various channels, including the United Nations Command hotline and the U.N. in New York, where North Korea has a representative.
Experts suggest maintaining a low-key public stance for the time being. Mickey Bergman, executive director of the Richardson Center, emphasized that the outcome will depend on how the U.S. reacts. Bergman recommended calmly communicating that Washington respects Pyongyang’s right to detain and question a soldier who entered its territory.
Jenny Town of Washington’s 38 North think tank noted the complexity of the case due to uncertainty about Private King’s intentions and whether he actually wants to return. Private King had been detained in South Korea for assault before attempting to fly back to the U.S. to face military disciplinary action.
Cases of U.S. soldiers going to North Korea are extremely rare. In 1965, U.S. Army Sergeant Charles Robert Jenkins walked over the Demilitarized Zone and spent four decades in North Korea.
A former North Korean diplomat who defected to South Korea suggested that North Korea might use Private King as a propaganda tool, but it is uncertain how long they would want to exploit his presence.
Otto Warmbier’s case serves as a cautionary example. Warmbier, a college student detained in 2015, was eventually returned to the United States in a coma in 2017 and died shortly after.
When asked about Private King, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken mentioned that the Biden administration has repeatedly tried to re-establish dialogue with Pyongyang since taking office and has offered new nuclear talks without preconditions. However, North Korea has responded with missile tests.
(Reporting by Simon Lewis and David Brunnstrom; Additional reporting by Idrees Ali; Editing by Don Durfee and Stephen Coates)
Credit: The Star : News Feed
