July 20 (EUROPA PRESS) –
The spokesman for the United States Department of State, Matthew Miller, has assured that the Biden Administration will continue to work so that the American soldier Travis King, who crossed the border with North Korea, returns safely.
“The White House, the Pentagon, we at the State Department and the UN are collaborating to obtain information regarding the well-being and whereabouts of Private King,” Miller said during a press conference.
“We are still gathering facts, and I want to make it very clear that the administration has worked and will continue to work actively to ensure his safety and return him home to his family,” the spokesperson added.
In a note confirming what happened to Europa Press, one of the State Department spokesmen specified on Tuesday that a US soldier “voluntarily and without authorization” crossed the Military Demarcation Line into North Korea.
King’s identity was confirmed by his mother on Wednesday, who said she was shocked after being notified that her son had crossed the border into North Korea. “I can’t imagine Travis doing something like that,” said Claudine Gates, a resident of Racine, Wisconsin.
On the other hand, legal sources cited by the South Korean news agency Yonhap revealed that King was sentenced to a fine of five million won (around 3,520 euros) in February after causing damage to a patrol car in the country’s capital, Seoul.
The man was accused of repeatedly hitting a vehicle door during an incident in October 2022 in the Mapo district, where he was detained. They also reported that King did not cooperate with the agents who asked him to identify themselves and hurled insults against South Korea.
Previously, he was accused of punching a South Korean citizen in the face at a nightclub in September 2022, although he was not charged because the victim said he did not want the soldier to be punished, always according to the sources cited by the Yonhap agency.
On the other hand, Defense Department sources quoted by the television network indicated on Tuesday that the detainee will face disciplinary measures by the Army and specified that he joined a tourist tour as a civilian before returning to the United States. During it, he crossed into North Korean territory without permission.
The Demilitarized Zone separates the two Koreas and its border is one of the most heavily fortified areas in the world. It contains land mines and electric and barbed wire fences, as well as armed guards constantly monitoring the area.
