A U.S. soldier who crossed the demarcation line from South Korea into North Korea in July is back in U.S. custody after being expelled from the hermit kingdom.
U.S. Army Pvt. 2nd Class Travis King took the step in July, seemingly of his own volition, and there had been little new information about his whereabouts and well-being since then.
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A U.S. official confirmed on Wednesday morning that King is in U.S. custody. He left North Korea, crossing into China, and with the help of the Swedish government, the United States took custody of the soldier.
“The relevant organ of the DPRK decided to expel Travis King, a soldier of the U.S. Army who illegally intruded into the territory of the DPRK, under the law of the Republic,” state media KCNA said. The report said the investigation into King “has been finished.”
King was “very happy to be on his way home” and has been able to speak with his family, a senior administration official told reporters.
“We can confirm that Pvt. King was very happy to be on his way home,” the official said. “You know that that has been quite clear as we have resumed our contact with him and he is very much looking forward to being reunited with his family. That is the sentiment that is pervading all else right now. And is being, you know, reported by all of our diplomats.”
King acknowledged that he illegally crossed the border “as he harbored ill feeling against inhuman maltreatment and racial discrimination within the U.S. army and was disillusioned about the unequal U.S. society,” KCNA’s report said.
The Swedish government informed the U.S. that North Korea was looking to release King earlier this month.
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King was supposed to fly home to the U.S. after serving two months in prison on assault charges and time under U.S. supervision, but he didn’t get on the flight, choosing to cross the border instead.
Another official said the U.S.’s primary concern is King’s health and well-being and that any “administrative actions that may follow” will occur after the “reintegration process.”
