North Korea Says US Army Private Crossed the DMZ to Flee Racism
Summary from the AllSides News Team
On Wednesday, North Korean state-run media KCNA ran a statement saying that U.S. Private 2nd Class Travis King fled to the country to avoid "inhuman maltreatment and racial discrimination" in the U.S. Army. The statement comes a day before the United Nations Security Council is expected to address human rights abuses in North Korea.
Key Details: Private King crossed the border from South Korea on July 18 while touring the demilitarized zone. He was scheduled to be sent home after serving two months in a South Korean prison on assault charges.
Key Quotes: "Saying he was disillusioned at the unequal American society, he expressed his will to seek political asylum either in the DPRK or in third country," the KCNA statement said. Jaqueda Gates, King's sister, said on CNN earlier this month that "he's not the type to just disappear."
For Context: For decades, North Korea has called Washington hypocritical and highlighted racial discrimination in the U.S. Pyongyang is likely to use Private King's case to resist pressure over human rights.
How the Media Covered it: Sources across the political spectrum covered the statement, with NBC News (Lean Left bias) noting that if the U.S. requests King's return, it would likely require a visit by a high-level U.S. official.
Featured Coverage of this Story
From the Center
Travis King case highlights North Korea's history of citing US racism
North Korea's claim on Wednesday that U.S. soldier Travis King fled racism and abuse in America comes as Pyongyang pushes back on Washington's criticism of the North's human rights record.
North Korea broke nearly a month of silence on King, who is Black, issuing a state media report that he had confessed to illegally and deliberately entering the North, driven by "ill feeling against inhuman maltreatment and racial discrimination within the U.S. Army" and disillusionment with inequality in U.S. society.
King has not been directly heard from, but an uncle in United...
From the Left
North Korea confirms custody of U.S. soldier Travis King, who crossed DMZ in July
North Korea commented for the first time about a U.S. soldier who ran into the isolated country's territory last month.
North Korean state-run media KCNA claimed in a statement issued Wednesday local time that "Travis King admitted that he illegally intruded into the territory of the DPRK," using the initialism for the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.
Pvt. 2nd Class Travis King, 23, crossed the Demilitarized Zone, or DMZ, the heavily fortified border between North and South Korea, “willfully and without authorization” in July, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told reporters last month.
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North Korea confirms US Army private is in country and shares reason he entered
North Korea has released its first statement since U.S. Army Pvt. Travis King crossed over from South Korea into its territory, confirming what was long suspected and alleging why King made the decision.
During its investigation, North Korea claimed that "he confessed that he decided to come over to the DPRK, opposed to inhuman maltreatment and racial discrimination in the US army," according to the state-run Korean Central News Agency.
"Saying he was disillusioned at the unequal American society, he expressed his will to seek political asylum either in the DPRK or in third country,"...
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