NKorea Says US Soldier Crossed Border to Flee Racism

Facts

• North Korea’s state-run Korean Central News Agency Wednesday claimed that a US soldier who defected to the North last month sought refuge from "inhuman maltreatment and racial discrimination" in the US.¹
• It was the first time North Korea acknowledged that it had detained the 23-year-old US Army private 2nd Class Travis King, who made an illegal crossing from South Korea on July 18 while on a guided civilian tour of the Joint Security Area.²
• North Korean media reports that during the North's investigation, King expressed his desire to seek refuge there or in a third country as he was disillusioned with the state of perceived racial inequality in the US. King developed ill feelings towards the US Army and has reportedly been under the control of North Korean soldiers since entering the DPRK.³
• US officials were unable to immediately verify King's comments, with a spokesperson asserting, "We remain focused on his safe return."⁴
• King joined the Army in January 2021 and is a Cavalry Scout with the Korean Rotational Force. He was due to face disciplinary measures when he arrived back in the US, after pleading guilty to assault and destruction of public property for damaging a police car during a profane outburst directed at Korean people.⁵
• The North Korean announcement comes on the heels of multiple attempts by the US Dept. of Defense to contact the North about King — reportedly without receiving any official response.⁶

Sources: ¹Al Jazeera, ²BBC News, ³Reuters, ⁴ABC News, ⁵VOA, and ⁶Business Insider.

Narratives

• Pro-establishment narrative, as provided by Daily Mail. When authoritarian states like Russia, China, and Iran take American soldiers captive, they usually demand a price for their release. Washington is concerned that North Korea may capitalize on King's defection and set a price for his return. King may have entered the hermetic country because he was running away from his legal problems and concerns of systemic racism, but the most important task right now is getting him home safely.
• Establishment-critical narrative, as provided by KCNA Watch. King illegally intruded into the territory of North Korea because of deep racial discrimination in the US Army. While Washington likes to judge other countries atop its pedestal, the US has many issues of its own that need to be addressed, including racial discrimination. A deep investigation into this case by the North's officials is well warranted.