Who is Travis King? All about the US soldier arrested in North Korea

Travis King, a 23-year-old American soldier, was arrested in North Korea after attempting to flee into the region. He allegedly wanted to avoid disciplinary action in the United States concerning a former infraction. Private 2nd Class Travis King, who served nearly two months in a South Korean prison for an unspecified assault charge, was released on July 10, 2023.

King was reportedly being sent home to Fort Bliss, Texas, to face additional disciplinary action in connection to the incident on Monday, July 17, when he left the airport and later joined a tour of the Korean border village of Panmunjom.

While with the group of visitors, King supposedly bolted to the border of North Korea, where armed guards arrested him, thus becoming the first American detained in the North in nearly five years. US Forces Korea spokesperson Col. Isaac Taylor said King's family had been notified about the incident. Taylor revealed they are working with North Korean officials to de-escalate the situation.

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Travis King joined the army in 2021

As officials worked to resolve the situation, the motive behind Travis King’s actions remained unclear. Meanwhile, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin confirmed that the US service member was now in North Korean custody.

“We’re closely monitoring and investigating the situation and working to notify the soldier’s next of kin. This will develop in the next several days and hours, and we’ll keep you posted.”

King, a cavalry scout who joined the service in January 2021, was reportedly posted in South Korea as part of the 1st Armored Division. Shortly before making a run for the North Korean border, King was being held on an assault charge involving a South Korean national.

However, officials told CNN that the incident was a minor infraction that did not warrant an arrest. After spending two months in a South Korean detention facility, King was being flown back home to the United States when he left the airport and joined a tour group.

At this time, it is unknown if King was attempting to defect when he decided to cross the border instead of getting on the plane to the United States.

The soldier’s mother, Claudine Gates of Racine in Wisconsin, told ABC News that she was stunned by her son’s actions and couldn't fathom that he would ever defect.

A witness who was part of the tour group told CBS they had just visited a building when King ran across the border. The witness, identified as Mikalela Johanson, said:

“I thought it was a bad joke at first but when he didn’t come back, I realized it wasn’t a joke, and then everybody reacted, and things got crazy.”

The witness revealed that no North Korean soldiers were visible when Travis King ran across the border, and their group had been told that the soldiers had been off duty since the pandemic.

The incident comes amid North Korea cracking up on the arrests of American civilians in recent years. The American citizens were convicted of espionage, subversion, and other anti-state acts. However, the US was able to secure their release in exchange for high-profile missions.