No. Korea throws out GI defector
Back in US custody by way of China
Army defector Travis King was back in US custody Wednesday, only hours after North Korea announced it would “expel” him.
National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan confirmed that “US officials have secured the return of Private Travis King” two months after the soldier suddenly dashed across the Korean border.
“We appreciate the dedication of the interagency team that has worked tirelessly out of concern for Private King’s well-being,” Sullivan said, singling out “the government of Sweden for its diplomatic role.”
The confirmation came just hours after North Korea announced it planned to boot the Wisconsin native, claiming he had confessed under interrogation to illegally entering the Hermit Kingdom.
“The relevant organ of the [Democratic People’s Republic of Korea] decided to expel Travis King, a soldier of the US Army who illegally intruded into the territory of the DPRK,” its announcement read.
King, 23, was moved to China, where he was taken into US custody in a rare example of cooperation between the nations.
By noon Wednesday, the door of the Racine, Wis., home of King’s mother, Claudine Gates, had a sign that read: “We’re not answering questions at this time! Please respect our privacy!”
The front porch was also decorated with an American flag, which was hung with the blue field on the right side, which is technically a violation of US code.
“Ms. Gates will be forever grateful to the United States Army and all its interagency partners for a job well done,” family spokesperson Jonathan Franks wrote in a statement.
Bitter over ‘racism’
North Korea previously claimed that the soldier, who was facing disciplinary action following a series of dust-ups in South Korea, defected because he was bitter over poor treatment and racism within the US forces.
King had been recently released from a South Korean prison and was set to fly back to the US when he slipped his military escort and was later caught on film at a July 18 tour of the Joint Security Area — the border village in the Demilitarized Zone separating the two Koreas that is guarded by soldiers from both sides.
US officials later confirmed that King made a “deliberate decision” to cross into the infamously isolated country.
A few weeks later, the Pentagon declined to grant the Wisconsin native prisoner of war status, but still insisted that he be “treated humanely in accordance with international law.”