US Citizen Captured by North Korea Following DMZ Incident
An American Crosses Heavily Fortified Border into North Korea
An American citizen made a daring move by crossing the heavily fortified border from South Korea into North Korea, according to the U.S.-led United Nations Command overseeing the area. The incident occurred during a tour to the Korean border village of Panmunjom, where the individual crossed into North Korea without authorization.
The United Nations Command tweeted about the incident, stating that the U.S. citizen is currently in North Korean custody. They are actively working with their North Korean counterparts to resolve the situation. However, no further details were provided regarding the person’s identity or the reason behind their border crossing.
A U.S. National on a JSA orientation tour crossed, without authorization, the Military Demarcation Line into the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK). We believe he is currently in DPRK custody and are working with our KPA counterparts to resolve this incident. pic.twitter.com/a6amvnJTuY
— United Nations Command 유엔군사령부/유엔사 (@UN_Command) July 18, 2023
Rare Cases of Defection
Instances of Americans or South Koreans defecting to North Korea are uncommon. However, since the end of the 1950-53 Korean War, over 30,000 North Koreans have fled to South Korea to escape political oppression and economic hardships in their home country.
Panmunjom, situated within the 154-mile-long Demilitarized Zone, was established at the conclusion of the Korean War. While occasional bloodshed and gunfire have occurred in the area, it has also served as a venue for numerous talks and has become a popular tourist spot.
The region is jointly overseen by the U.N. Command and North Korea. However, no civilians reside in Panmunjom.
In November 2017, a North Korean soldier fired 40 rounds as a fellow soldier attempted to flee to freedom. Despite being hit five times, the soldier was discovered beneath a pile of leaves on the southern side of Panmunjom and survived, eventually finding refuge in South Korea.
During the Cold War, a small number of U.S. soldiers also defected to North Korea, including Charles Jenkins, who deserted his army post in South Korea in 1965 and crossed the DMZ. Jenkins appeared in North Korean propaganda films and married a Japanese nursing student who had been abducted by North Korean agents. He passed away in Japan in 2017.
In recent years, some Americans have been arrested in North Korea after allegedly entering the country from China. These individuals were later convicted of espionage and other anti-state acts, but many were released following high-profile missions by the U.S. to secure their freedom.
In 2018, North Korea released the last three known American detainees during a period of nuclear diplomacy between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and then-President Donald Trump. Unfortunately, the high-stakes diplomacy collapsed in 2019 due to disagreements over U.S.-led sanctions on North Korea.
Tensions and Nuclear Deterrence
The recent border crossing incident occurred amidst heightened tensions caused by North Korea’s continuous missile tests since the beginning of last year. In response, the United States deployed a nuclear-armed submarine to South Korea for the first time in decades as a deterrent against North Korea.
The Western Journal has reviewed this Associated Press story and may have altered it prior to publication to ensure that it meets our editorial standards.
The post North Korea Takes US Citizen Captive After Demilitarized Zone Incident appeared first on The Western Journal.
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