North Korea alleges US soldier entered country due to dissatisfaction with unequal society.
The North Korean Regime’s Detainment of American Soldier Travis King
The propaganda arm of the North Korean dictatorship has made its first public comment regarding the detainment of American soldier Travis King. According to North Korean state media, King entered the communist country due to mistreatment he faced in the U.S. Army.
King, 23, made a daring sprint across the heavily guarded demilitarized zone (DMZ) line last month while on a civilian tour and was subsequently taken into custody by North Korea. Prior to his crossing, King had been disciplined for assault in South Korea and was also facing further disciplinary action in the U.S.
North Korean state media claimed on Wednesday that King fled into their country due to his “ill feelings against inhuman mistreatment and racial discrimination within the U.S. Army” and his disillusionment with the unequal American society, as reported by POLITICO.
However, a Pentagon official told The Wall Street Journal that they cannot verify King’s alleged comments. It is known that the North Korean media often tailors its statements to fit the communist regime’s narrative, which typically portrays the U.S. as an evil empire.
The Pentagon official stated, “We can’t verify these alleged comments. We remain focused on his safe return. The department’s priority is to bring Pvt. King home, and we are working through all available channels to achieve that outcome.”
According to former CIA analyst Soo Kim, the regime’s statement is “100% North Korean propaganda in its element.” She added, “As for King’s release, his fate rests in North Korea’s hands. Perhaps the regime will try to ‘bargain’ King’s life in exchange for financial concessions from the U.S. More than likely, negotiations won’t be easy, and terms will be dictated by Pyongyang.”
King is the first American soldier to voluntarily cross into North Korea since 1982. It is worth noting that American civilian Otto Warmbier was detained and imprisoned by the communist country in 2016 on false charges of subversion. He was released 17 months later in a coma and unfortunately passed away shortly after returning to the U.S.
Before his crossing into North Korea, King was involved in at least two separate incidents that required intervention from Korean police. In September, he was accused of punching a man in the face at a South Korean club, and the following month, he allegedly acted aggressively towards police officers responding to a fight. Court documents obtained by Reuters confirm these incidents.
King spent nearly two months in detention for the assault charge, as reported by The Associated Press. He was released on July 10 and was supposed to be sent back to America before his decision to cross into North Korea.
Leif Le Mahieu contributed to this report.
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