North Korea Detains American Soldier, U.S. Claims He ‘Willfully and Without Authorization’ Crossed DMZ

North Korea Detains American Soldier, U.S. Claims He ‘Willfully and Without Authorization’ Crossed DMZ

UPDATE 12:27 PM: Did the soldier defect to North Korea? Here’s an interesting update:

A U.S. Forces Korea spokesperson said the American service member on a joint security area orientation tour “willfully and without authorization crossed the Military Demarcation Line into the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK).”

“We believe he is currently in DPRK custody and are working with our KPA (Korean People’s Army) counterparts to resolve this incident,” the spokesperson added.

The soldier was identified by a senior U.S. defense official as Private 2nd Class Travis King, who was serving under U.S. Forces Korea and the U.S. Army and was due to face disciplinary action.

The military separated from him King with cause and planned to ship him back to America.

King crossed the DMZ dressed in plain clothes during a tour of the DMZ with a tour group.

***Previous report:

North Korea has detained a U.S. soldier after he supposedly crossed the DMZ line without authorization, the United Nations Command tweeted this morning.

A U.S. National on a JSA orientation tour crossed, without authorization, the Military Demarcation Line into the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK). We believe he is currently in DPRK custody and are working with our KPA counterparts to resolve this incident. pic.twitter.com/a6amvnJTuY

— United Nations Command 유엔군사령부/유엔사 (@UN_Command) July 18, 2023

The JSA refers to the Joint Security Area, also known as the Truce Village (or Panmunjom). It’s where North and South Korean forces face each other.

The State Department and United Nations did not identify the soldier.

Both encourage citizens not to travel to North Korea.

The Truce Village hosted the two countries when they signed the armistice in 1953. The two countries technically remain at war:

After World War II, North and South Korea were divided at the 38th parallel, or line of latitude, creating a de facto international border. The roughly 2.5-mile wide Demilitarized Zone was created as a buffer between the countries in 1953, following the Korean War. Both sides are heavily fortified. About 70 percent of North Korea’s ground forces are stationed along the border, with half of its naval and air forces within 60 miles of the DMZ. There are also 14,000 tubes of artillery that could rain down shells on Seoul if conflict broke out, with 26 million people caught in the crosshairs.

The 155-mile long border has been the site of multiple clashes over the years, including at Panmunjom, where in 1976 two U.S. Army officers sent out to clear some trees and create a better view of the North were attacked by two Koreans and killed with their own axes. Just this past year, a North Korean defector ran across the border and through Panmunjom, drawing gunfire from both sides. He was later found to be suffering with a parasitic infection, with inches-long worms in his digestive system.

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