“I’m not assuming” on the possibility of using North Korea’s ‘negotiation card’ in the future
[서울=뉴시스] Reporter Jeong Byeong-hyeok = On the 18th, an American soldier who was touring the Joint Security Area (JSA) defected to North Korea. “One of our soldiers on a tour deliberately crossed the Military Demarcation Line without permission,” U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said on the 18th (local time). According to foreign media, the person in question was Travis King, a US private who enlisted in 2021, and was scheduled to return to Fort Bliss, Texas, on charges of assault. . On the 19th, in the waiting room at Seoul Station, citizens are watching news related to US forces defecting to North Korea through the Joint Security Area. 2023.07.19. [email protected]
[워싱턴=뉴시스]Correspondent Kim Nan-young = The US State Department announced that there was no response from North Korea regarding Travis King, a US soldier who defected to North Korea without permission in the Joint Security Area (JSA).
State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said at a regular briefing on the 19th (local time), “The Department of Defense notified relatives of Private Travis King yesterday of the situation, and the White House, Department of Defense, State Department and the United Nations are working together to determine his whereabouts and condition.” .
Previously, at JSA, an American who was on a field trip suddenly defected to North Korea. The American was identified as Travis King, a private in the US Army in Korea, who is about to be repatriated, and has a history of being fined for actions such as kicking a patrol car in Korea.
“We are still gathering facts,” Miller said. “The administration continues to act pro-actively to ensure his safety and extradition.”
In the US administration, the case is being led by the Department of Defense. In this regard, a spokesperson for Push said, “The Ministry of National Defense contacted the North Korean military counterpart yesterday.” However, he added, “As far as I know, there has been no response to this communication attempt.”
“We maintain several channels through which we can send messages to North Korea,” he said.
“The State Department is engaging with its Korean and Swedish counterparts here in the United States and elsewhere on this matter,” Miller added.
On the other hand, when asked about Travis King’s response if he wanted to stay in North Korea, he replied, “I don’t want to deal with the family until I get all the facts.”
When asked about the possibility of North Korea using Travis King as leverage in negotiations with the United States in the future, he said, “I do not want to assume any possibility or details in the context of an investigation.”
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