US Soldier Who Defected to North Korea Has History of Assaulting Koreans... Mother Says "Proud Son, Hope You Come Home Soon"

Assault on Korean and Police Car Damage in Hongdae in the Past
Detained for 47 Days After Argument, Released on the 10th
"Seemed to Escape from Airport Customs Without Escort Personnel"

A South Korean-based U.S. soldier who defected to North Korea after touring the Joint Security Area (JSA) at Panmunjom was found to have a past record of causing disturbances in South Korea and receiving a fine.

Kicked Police Car in Hongdae While Shouting "Fxxx Korean"... Has Prior Record Including 5 Million Won Fine

Private Travis King
[Photo by U.S. Army]

According to foreign media such as the U.S. ABC and CNN on the 18th (local time), the U.S. Army Private Travis King (23), who recently defected to North Korea, was arrested by police on May 27 near the Sinchon Rotary in Mapo-gu, Seoul, after causing damage to parked vehicles while intoxicated.

He was charged with damaging three vehicles and handed over to the U.S. military police. He was detained in a holding facility for 47 days and released on the 10th of this month. Afterwards, he was also monitored for about a week at a U.S. military base in South Korea.

According to the legal community, the Seoul Western District Court sentenced King to a fine of 5 million won on February 8 for charges including damage to public property. Neither the defendant nor the prosecution appealed, so the verdict was finalized as is.

On October 8 last year, at around 3:46 a.m., King kicked the right rear door of a patrol car from the Hongik Police Substation multiple times after responding to a report of an assault incident in Mapo-gu, Seoul.

He was arrested on the spot and, when asked for his personal information by the police officer, he did not respond but shouted from the back seat of the patrol car, "Fxxx Korean, fxxx Korean army," while kicking the door. The repair cost for the patrol car at that time was 584,000 won.

The court considered that King had no prior criminal record for similar offenses, showed remorse, and deposited 1 million won to compensate for the damage.

The court ruled, "He must bear responsibility appropriate to damaging the rear door of the patrol car."

Separately, King was also indicted for assault for punching a Korean man multiple times during an altercation while drinking at a club near Hongdae in Mapo-gu at around 9:40 a.m. on September 25 last year.

The court consolidated this case for trial, but dismissed the charges as the victim expressed a desire not to pursue prosecution.

Presumed to Have Escaped Customs, Circumstances of JSA Visit Unknown... King's Mother Says, "I Hope He Returns to the U.S."

Last October, South Korean and U.S. soldiers were standing guard at Panmunjom.
[Photo by AFP·Yonhap News]

Meanwhile, according to foreign media, King was scheduled to be administratively isolated by the U.S. military after being released from detention.

U.S. officials said King was to be transported to Fort Bliss, Texas, for additional disciplinary action. On the day he defected, he was escorted to the airport but did not board the plane.

A U.S. official speculated that King escaped at airport customs, where escort personnel could not follow him.

After leaving the airport, King joined a civilian travel agency’s JSA tour and, while touring a building within Panmunjom, suddenly laughed loudly and ran between buildings, defecting to North Korea.

Tour guides chased after King but failed to catch him, and foreign media reported that North Korean soldiers detained him.

Claudine Gates, King’s mother who lives in Racine, Wisconsin, expressed shock upon hearing the news through the media, saying, "Travis would never do such a thing."

She added, "He contacted me a few days ago and said he would soon return to Fort Bliss base. I am very proud of my son. I just want him to come back home to the U.S."

The United States is reportedly in contact with North Korea regarding this defection case.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.