23-year-old American Travis King visited Panmunjom, on the armistice line separating the two Koreas, and suddenly walked into North Korean territory during a tourist tour, where he was arrested. Since then nothing has been heard from him.
It is not known why the soldier, who was recently held in a South Korean prison for two months, decided to cross the border. And according to various American media, including CBS News, the soldier is to be returned to the United States for disciplinary reasons, but he escapes at Seoul Airport. He joined a group of tourists and ended up in the Demilitarized Zone.
A US State Department spokesperson said Monday that the UN mission stationed in Panmunjom had already contacted North Korea on the day the king crossed the border. “But as far as I know, the North Koreans have only confirmed that they got that message,” said Matthew Miller, who stated that North Korea did not respond to other contact attempts.
Panmunjom is the only place where the North and South Korean armies are stationed directly opposite each other. It is very rare for a US citizen, let alone a soldier, to cross a North Korean border this far.
