North Korea has released its first statement since U.S. Army Pvt. Travis King crossed over from South Korea into its territory, confirming what was long suspected and alleging why King made the decision.
During its investigation, North Korea claimed that “he confessed that he decided to come over to the DPRK, opposed to inhuman maltreatment and racial discrimination in the US army,” according to the state-run Korean Central News Agency.
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“Saying he was disillusioned at the unequal American society, he expressed his will to seek political asylum either in the DPRK or in third country,” the statement added. “The investigation continues.”
King bolted across the border on July 18 while taking a tour of the demilitarized zone that separates North Korea and South Korea. King, who had been a cavalry scout with the Army since January 2021, was supposed to fly home to the U.S. after serving two months in a South Korean prison on assault charges, but he didn’t get on the flight, choosing to cross into North Korea.
North Korea, known for its hostile attitude and unresponsiveness toward the U.S., would not respond to American inquiries, though the United Nations said it was communicating with the country about King’s status.
King’s action shocked many, including military members and King’s family. “He’s not the type to just disappear,” Jaqueda Gates, King’s sister, said on CNN earlier this month.
King’s entrance into North Korea offers the country an opportunity to bolster its propaganda. For Kim Jong Un and his government, the “truth” is clear, as evidenced by the statement: King preferred to be in North Korea rather than be in the U.S. or South Korea.
North Korea said King “admitted that he illegally intruded into the territory of the DPRK.” What this means for King’s future is unclear.
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Tensions are high on the Korean Peninsula as the U.S.-South Korea joint exercise “Ulchi Freedom Shield” begins next week. Kim denounced the annual exercises as “war games,” but the U.S. insisted they are purely defensive.
The North Korean leader has ordered a ramp-up of the production of tactical missiles to prepare his country for war. Since the beginning of last year, North Korea has conducted more than 100 missile tests, and the U.S. is bracing for more during this month’s U.S.-South Korean exercise.
