WASHINGTON (Reuters) – North Korea has responded to the United Nations Command regarding the case of U.S. Army Private Travis King, who crossed the heavily-guarded border with South Korea on July 18 and was immediately taken into custody. However, North Korea’s response did not provide detailed information about King, according to Pentagon spokesperson Brigadier General Patrick Ryder.
During a press conference, Ryder confirmed that North Korea acknowledged the U.N. Command’s request for information but stated, “I don’t have any substantial progress to read out.” When pressed, he clarified that North Korea’s response was merely an acknowledgement and did not offer significant details regarding the inquiry.
King’s unexpected entry into North Korea has created a new diplomatic challenge for the United States, given North Korea’s possession of nuclear weapons. Prior to this incident, King served as a Cavalry Scout with the Korean Rotational Force, which is part of the long-standing U.S. security commitment to South Korea.
However, King faced legal issues during his time in South Korea. He was accused of two counts of assault and eventually pleaded guilty to one count of assault and vandalizing public property. Court documents reveal that he damaged a police car during an aggressive outburst against Koreans. As a result, King served a sentence of hard labor at the Cheonan correctional facility from May 24 to July 10 instead of paying a fine.
Following his release from prison, King stayed at a U.S. base in South Korea for a week before his unauthorized entry into North Korea. A spokesperson from the Cheonan prison confirmed King’s confinement, but declined to provide further details due to privacy concerns.
U.S. officials, who requested anonymity, disclosed that King was facing military disciplinary action upon his return to Fort Bliss, Texas. In light of the situation, U.S. officials expressed deep concern for King’s well-being in North Korea, citing the case of Otto Warmbier, a U.S. college student who was imprisoned in North Korea for 17 months and died shortly after his return to the United States in a coma in 2017.
Reporting by Idrees Ali and Phil Stewart; Editing by Grant McCool
Credit: The Star : News Feed
