(Washington Insider Magazine) – A U.S. Army soldier, identified as Private 2nd Class (PV2) Travis King, 23, has reportedly been detained in North Korea after crossing the fortified border from South Korea without authorization. King was on a guided tour of the United Nations-controlled zone dividing the two nations when he crossed over, according to the Pentagon.
The incident adds strain to an already tense relationship with North Korea, one of the world’s most isolated nations. Admiral John Aquilino, Commander of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, confirmed there has been no contact with King since his detention and stated the soldier had voluntarily crossed the border in an unauthorized manner. U.S. Forces Korea is investigating the incident.
U.S. travel advisories explicitly warn citizens against visiting North Korea, citing severe risks of arrest and the threat of wrongful detention. Hours after King’s detention, North Korea launched two ballistic missiles into nearby waters, though no link between the launch and King’s situation has been suggested. South Korea’s military confirmed the missile launch amid ongoing tensions on the Korean Peninsula.
It remains uncertain if King intended to defect or hopes to return to the U.S., and North Korea has yet to release any information. The Pentagon stated that King has served in the Army since January 2021 as a cavalry scout, a reconnaissance specialist, assigned to the 1st Armored Division on deployment in South Korea. However, King faced legal issues in South Korea, including a two-month prison term for assault charges. Reports from Seoul indicate that King had been fined for damaging a police vehicle and allegedly involved in an altercation at a nightclub last September.
King was released from prison on July 10 and escorted to the airport for a U.S.-bound flight. However, he left the terminal and joined a border tour where he then crossed into North Korea. A fellow tourist recounted that King suddenly laughed and sprinted across the border. “At first, I thought it was a joke, but when he didn’t come back, everyone realized the seriousness of the situation,” the eyewitness told CBS News.
The United Nations Command, overseeing the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) and Joint Security Area (JSA), stated it has reached out to North Korean military officials to negotiate King’s release, believing he is currently in North Korean custody. The DMZ remains one of the world’s most fortified regions, lined with landmines, electric fences, barbed wire, surveillance cameras, and armed guards on constant alert.