American Soldier Expelled from North Korea after Illegally Crossing Border
In a surprising turn of events, North Korea has decided to “expel” US Army soldier Travis King, who crossed over to the North from South Korea during a visit to the joint security zone in July. The state media KCNA reported on Wednesday that the “competent body” of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) had made the decision to expel King under the law of the Republic.
According to the report, the investigation into King has been concluded, but it is unclear when and how he will be ousted from the country. North Korea claims that King confessed to illegally intruding into their territory due to his grievances against the inhumane mistreatment and racial discrimination within the US military, as well as disillusionment with the unequal US society. However, CNN cannot independently verify whether these are King’s own words.
King’s deliberate move to North Korea has placed him in the hands of a notoriously autocratic and opaque one-party regime, which considers the United States a mortal enemy. US officials state that he crossed into North Korea on July 18 without authorization while on a civilian tour of the Joint Security Area (JSA), located within the demilitarized zone separating North and South Korea since the Korean War.
The JSA, unlike the rest of the DMZ, has no physical barrier. A US official revealed that after crossing the demarcation line, King attempted to enter a North Korean facility but found the gate locked. He then ran to the back of the building, where North Korean guards swiftly loaded him into a van and took him away.
Travis King is a reconnaissance specialist in the US Army, having joined in January 2021. At the time of his rotation in South Korea, he was assigned to the 6th Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division from Fort Bliss, Texas. Just before his border-crossing, King had been released from a detention center in South Korea, where he had already served 50 days for unspecified reasons.
King’s intended destination before crossing into North Korea was Texas, where he was due to face disciplinary proceedings. However, he left the Incheon International Airport near Seoul at his own expense after being released by Army escorts. The following day, he joined a previously booked tour of the JSA with a private company.
Travis King’s mother, Claudine Gates, has made a plea to Pyongyang on August 16, asking for her son to be treated humanely and granted a phone call to speak with her, according to family spokesman Jonathan Franks.
It remains uncertain what military intelligence value King may possess for North Korea. As a private, his access to high-level information is limited, but simply being on a US military installation allows him to provide details such as base layouts and troop numbers.
The expulsion of an American soldier from North Korea, particularly during a time of heightened tensions on the Korean Peninsula, raises questions about the motives behind King’s actions and the implications for US-North Korea relations. It also serves as a reminder of the fragile nature of the region’s security and the potential risks associated with unauthorized border crossings.