US national believed to be in North Korean custody
The US soldier was on a tour to the Joint Security Area and crossed into the North
18 July 2023 - 16:51
byHyonhee Shin and Soo-hyang Choi
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Seoul — A US national is likely to be in North Korean custody after crossing the inter-Korean border during a tour without approval, the UN Command said on Tuesday.
The person was taking part in a tour to the Joint Security Area, the border village in the demilitarised zone separating the two Koreas where soldiers from both sides stand guard.
South Korea’s Dong-a Ilbo daily, citing South Korea’s army, identified the person as Travis King, a US soldier in the rank of private second class.
Reuters could not immediately verify the identity of the person mentioned in the report.
“A US national on a JSA orientation tour crossed, without authorisation, the Military Demarcation Line into the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK),” the UN Command said on Twitter.
“We believe he is currently in DPRK custody and are working with our KPA counterparts to resolve this incident,” it added, referring to North Korea’s People’s Army.
South Korea’s defence ministry said it did not immediately have any information on the incident.
US state department travel advisory bans US nationals from entering North Korea “due to the continuing serious risk of arrest and long-term detention of US nationals”.
The ban was implemented after US college student Otto Warmbier was detained by North Korean authorities while on a tour of the country in 2015. He died in 2017, days after he was released from prison and returned to the US in a coma.
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
US national believed to be in North Korean custody
The US soldier was on a tour to the Joint Security Area and crossed into the North
Seoul — A US national is likely to be in North Korean custody after crossing the inter-Korean border during a tour without approval, the UN Command said on Tuesday.
The person was taking part in a tour to the Joint Security Area, the border village in the demilitarised zone separating the two Koreas where soldiers from both sides stand guard.
South Korea’s Dong-a Ilbo daily, citing South Korea’s army, identified the person as Travis King, a US soldier in the rank of private second class.
Reuters could not immediately verify the identity of the person mentioned in the report.
“A US national on a JSA orientation tour crossed, without authorisation, the Military Demarcation Line into the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK),” the UN Command said on Twitter.
“We believe he is currently in DPRK custody and are working with our KPA counterparts to resolve this incident,” it added, referring to North Korea’s People’s Army.
South Korea’s defence ministry said it did not immediately have any information on the incident.
US state department travel advisory bans US nationals from entering North Korea “due to the continuing serious risk of arrest and long-term detention of US nationals”.
The ban was implemented after US college student Otto Warmbier was detained by North Korean authorities while on a tour of the country in 2015. He died in 2017, days after he was released from prison and returned to the US in a coma.
Reuters
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