US "Cannot Confirm Survival of Defector Soldier... No Response from North Korea"

The U.S. government revealed that it has not been able to ascertain the whereabouts or well-being, including the survival, of the U.S. soldier who defected to North Korea during a tour of the Joint Security Area (JSA) at Panmunjom. Although multiple channels of contact with North Korea are ongoing, no response has yet been received.

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

According to the U.S. Department of Defense, Sabrina King, a deputy spokesperson, stated during a briefing on the 20th (local time), in response to the question "Is Private Travis King alive?" "We want to bring Private King back to the United States," adding, "We have no information about his condition, including where he is being held or his health status."

She said, "We are making every effort through interagency cooperation, but there is nothing more to disclose," and "Unfortunately, we have not received any response from North Korea," she confirmed. She continued, "What we can do is continue communication through both public and private channels," emphasizing, "Our top priority is to safely bring the American home."

Previously, Private King, who defected to the North, was being punished for illegal activities while serving in South Korea and was scheduled to be repatriated to his home country. However, he did not board the scheduled flight. Regarding this, the Department of Defense explained that U.S. military escorts accompanied him up to the security zone and that Private King was not in custody upon arrival at the airport. Private King, who crossed the North Korean border, is currently considered "absent without leave (AWOL)."

Spokesperson King commented on some reports suggesting that Private King planned his defection in advance, stating, "This is a matter that requires investigation." She also said regarding how Private King participated in the JSA tour program, "I do not know his intentions," and added, "Apart from a few fragmented facts, an investigation is needed into his movements from the airport to Panmunjom."

Christine Wormuth, U.S. Secretary of the Army, also confirmed during a discussion at the Aspen Security Forum that "the Department of Defense, the State Department, and the White House have attempted to contact North Korea using UN channels to obtain information about his whereabouts and bring him back," but "contact with North Korean authorities has not been successful." When asked if there were signs that Private King sympathized with the North Korean regime, she replied, "There is no clear information about that, and I do not want to speculate."

John Kirby, White House National Security Council (NSC) Coordinator for Strategic Communications, mentioned in a separate briefing, "It is very concerning that we cannot confirm where Private King is and that we do not know." Matthew Miller, State Department spokesperson, said during a briefing, "We have conveyed the message to North Korea that Private King defected voluntarily and that we hope for his safe return," adding, "We have also requested information about his well-being." When asked if there was any indication that Private King had contact with North Korea before defecting, Miller replied, "I am not aware of any."

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