28-9-2023 (TEXAS) US Army Private Travis King made a surprise return to the United States, landing at a US military base in Texas early on Thursday, September 28, after being expelled from North Korea. This development follows his daring dash across the heavily militarized border two months ago, according to a report by CNN.
King’s return was facilitated by a US military flight that landed at Kelly Field at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston, as confirmed by a US defense department official. While television footage captured a group of people disembarking from the plane, US officials have yet to provide detailed comments on the matter.
The 23-year-old soldier is expected to undergo a medical review at Brooke Army Medical Center, a hospital located at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston. This is the same facility where basketball star Brittney Griner received treatment in December following a prisoner exchange with Russia, which secured her release after ten months in Russian detention.
Upon his return to the US, King will undergo an evaluation and reintegration process to help him reunite with his family. Notably, King crossed into North Korea from South Korea on July 18 while on a civilian tour of the heavily fortified border, leading to his immediate detention by North Korean authorities.
It remains uncertain whether King will face disciplinary action from the US Army. Despite his unauthorized border crossing while on active duty, the Army has not labeled him a deserter.
In contrast, North Korea treated King’s case as one of illegal immigration. North Korea’s KCNA state news agency reported that King had entered North Korea illegally due to disillusionment with the unequal aspects of US society.
Travis King, the American soldier who crossed into North Korea in July, returned to the U.S. on Thursday and was seen being led away from the plane he arrived in. https://t.co/oPTbhbLcyX pic.twitter.com/sZX3gYhSTj
— CBS News (@CBSNews) September 28, 2023
The Swedish government, representing US interests in North Korea due to the absence of US diplomatic representation in the country, played a pivotal role in King’s retrieval from North Korea. They subsequently brought him to China. US Ambassador to Beijing, Nicholas Burns, met King in Dandong, China, a city bordering North Korea. From there, King flew to Shenyang, China, before arriving at Osan Air Force Base in South Korea. The next leg of his journey brought him back to the United States.
King, who enlisted in the US Army in January 2021, had faced two allegations of assault in South Korea. He pleaded guilty to one count of assault and damaging public property. Court documents reveal that this incident involved him damaging a police car during a profanity-laced altercation with Koreans.
While King had completed his military detention in July and was awaiting US military transport to his home unit in the United States, he unexpectedly left the airport and joined a tour of the border area. This ultimately led to his crossing into North Korea, despite efforts by South Korean and US guards to prevent him.
The details regarding the diplomatic negotiations that facilitated King’s return remain unclear, but this event represents a rare instance of cooperation between the United States, North Korea, and China. When questioned about China’s role, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning explained that China had provided necessary humanitarian assistance at the request of both North Korea and the United States.
Notably, North Korea did not use King as a bargaining chip, indicating their commitment to refraining from nuclear talks with the United States unless there is a substantial shift in Washington’s policy, as per Lim Eul-chul, a professor of North Korean studies at South Korea’s Kyungnam University.
