North Korea responds to UN Command on US soldier Travis King, who ran across border

The Pentagon says North Korea acknowledged a request for information about King, who has been taken into custody, but did not offer details

King made his cross-border dash while on a tour of the demilitarised zone last month, landing the US in a new diplomatic quandary with the nuclear-armed nation

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American soldier Travis King is seen in a family photo displayed in his grandfather’s home in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Photo: Family photo via AP

Published: 3:59am, 2 Aug 2023

North Korea has offered a very brief response to the United Nations Command about a US soldier who dashed over the heavily-guarded border with South Korea on July 18 and was immediately taken into custody, the Pentagon said on Tuesday.

However, Pentagon spokesman Brigadier General Patrick Ryder said that North Korea only acknowledged the UN Command’s request for information about US Army Private Travis King and stopped short of offering detailed information about him.

“I can confirm that the DPRK has responded to United Nations Command, but I don’t have any substantial progress to read out,” Ryder told a press conference, using the acronym of North Korea’s official name, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

When pressed, Ryder said that North Korea’s message back to the UN Command was just “an acknowledgement” of the UN Command’s inquiry.

King sprinted into North Korea on July 18 while on a tour of the demilitarised zone (DMZ) on the border, landing the United States in a new diplomatic quandary with nuclear-armed North Korea.

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