More details exposed → Suddenly breaking into North Korea across the border was a US soldier store | United Nations | soldier
According to Reuters, on the 18th local time, an American suddenly crossed the border and entered North Korea while visiting the joint security zone located in Panmunjom on the North Korean border with a delegation in the afternoon. The report states that this extremely rare event has brought a new crisis to the relationship between the United States and North Korea.
Later that day, US Secretary of Defense Austin and White House spokesperson Jean Pierre responded to the matter.
US Secretary of Defense Austin expressed concern about the soldier and said at a press conference, "We are still working hard to learn more about the situation. We believe he is being detained, so we are closely monitoring and investigating the situation, and making efforts to contact the soldier's relatives.". White House spokesperson Jean Pierre stated that US officials from the Pentagon, State Department, and United Nations are all working to "gather more information and resolve this situation.".
According to an anonymous US official, the soldier is Private Travis King, who enlisted in 2021 and was arrested on charges of assault. He has recently been released from a South Korean prison. The US military originally planned to send him to Texas for further disciplinary action.
The official stated that the soldier was escorted to the airport, but he did not board the plane and instead participated in a visit to Panmunjom. He then left the team and crossed the border, but the official did not further explain how the soldier managed to participate in the visit.
According to reports, the tour guide attempted to chase the soldier but did not catch him. Someone saw him being detained by North Korean soldiers. It is currently unclear whether Private Travis King plans to defect.
Colonel Isaac Taylor, spokesperson for the US military stationed in South Korea, said that the US military is "working with the North Korean military to resolve this incident.".
US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller stated at a press conference on the 18th that the Pentagon has been in contact with North Korea regarding this matter.
Miller said, "Currently, we are in contact with the US Department of Defense. A US military member intentionally entered North Korea without authorization. The US Department of Defense is responsible for handling this as it is one of our staff members, and we are in contact with them to provide all appropriate assistance."
Currently, North Korea has not responded to this.