North Korea to expel US soldier amid icy relations with Washington
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A TV screen shows a file image of American soldier Travis King during a news program at the Seoul Railway Station in Seoul, South Korea on Aug. 16, 2023.
North Korea is set to deport a U.S. soldier who illegally crossed into its territory from South Korea, a move indicative of Pyongyang’s attempt to engage with Washington but yet expected to have a minimal effect on its strained relations with the U.S.
“The relevant organs of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea have decided to deport U.S. soldier Travis King in accordance with the laws for illegally entering the territory of the republic,” North Korea’s official Central News Agency said late Wednesday.
“The investigation into U.S. soldier Travis King has been concluded,” KCNA continued, claiming that it was the mistreatment he received from the U.S. that worked as his primary motives for crossing the border.
“Travis King confessed that he illegally entered the territory of the DPRK due to inhuman treatment in the U.S. military, antipathy to racism, and disillusionment with the unequal U.S. society,” the North Korean state media said.
The authenticity of the statements by King – the first American held in nearly five years – couldn’t be independently confirmed.
Whether the nature of the decision arose from negotiations via the Panmunjom channel or was a unilateral move by North Korea remains unclear. Yet, the announcement, made at 6 a.m. EST, appears to signal Pyongyang’s attempt to send a message to the U.S., said Yang Moo-jin, a professor at the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul who had advised the South Korean government over the years.
“If the decision was unilateral, it suggests that North Korea found King to be of no use,” Yang said. “As a U.S. soldier facing disciplinary action and fleeing to North Korea, King presented a challenging figure for North Korea to leverage for propaganda purposes.”
“While some informal discussions between the two countries might have occurred, they are likely to remain undisclosed. Given the current tense relations between the U.S. and North Korea, a corresponding deal seems improbable. Consequently, the influence on existing U.S.-North Korea, or inter-Korean relations appears to be minimal.”
King is the sole known U.S. national currently detained in North Korea, and his case represents the first known detention of a U.S. citizen since that of Bruce Byron Lowrance in November 2018.
KCNA did not elaborate on when and how North Korea would deport King.
The 23-year-old Private King trespassed into North Korean land via the inter-Korean Joint Security Area in Panmunjom on July 18. Pyongyang later announced that the U.S. soldier has been under investigation since his detention.
The incident marked a rare occurrence of a U.S. military personnel illegally entering North Korea, especially through the highly-secured Joint Security Area on the inter-Korean border. The area usually serves as a primary point for diplomatic engagements between the Koreas and other nations.
The U.S. and South Korean governments are yet to make an official statement regarding the North’s decision. The repatriation of Private King is seen as a sensitive issue amidst the already tense diplomatic relations between the allies and North Korea.
Edited by Elaine Chan and Taejun Kang.
