(Washington) The mystery remains on Thursday about the fate of the American soldier who entered North Korea on his own, the United States worrying about his “well-being” and increasing contacts, without success for the moment.
A senior US military official said she was “very concerned” about the fate and “how it might be dealt with” Private Travis King, who is believed to be detained in North Korea after crossing the border from South Korea on Tuesday.
“I am very, very concerned that Private (Travis) King is in the hands of North Korean authorities,” Army Secretary Christine Wormuth said at the security forum in Aspen, Colorado (west).
“I worry about how he might be treated,” she added.
She cited the case of Otto Warmbier, an American detained in North Korea for a year and a half before being released in 2017 in a coma and who had died six days after returning to the United States.
Covertly, Washington, who does not speak openly of defection, worries on the basis of “treatment inflicted in the past on detainees” that he will be the subject of tough interrogations, even torture.
The incident risks further souring relations between Washington and Pyongyang, especially since North Korea has repeatedly detained Americans and used them as bargaining chips.
Shadow areas
American diplomacy has set in motion, in conjunction with the White House and the Pentagon, to glean information on this rare incident with many gray areas.
Where is Private King? How could he fail at Seoul airport? What were his motives?
“At this point, not much is known and I don’t think we were able to successfully contact the North Korean authorities,” Ms.me Wormuth.
State Department spokesman Matthew Miller was more circumspect on Thursday, declining to say whether Pyongyang had responded to US requests, citing “very sensitive discussions”.
“We have clearly told them, clearly relayed the message that we are seeking information on his well-being and want his safe return,” he said during his daily press briefing.
Contacts are made in particular via the United Nations, as well as South Korea and Sweden, which represents the interests of the United States with North Korea.
In prison for violence
Travis King, a second-class soldier enlisted since 2021, was due to return to the United States to face disciplinary proceedings when he left Incheon airport in Seoul, joined a group of tourists visiting the demilitarized zone between South Korea and North Korea, then crossed the border, according to the American army.
The latter has opened an investigation by its counter-intelligence branch, spokeswoman Sabrina Singh said, adding that “no one could expect him to leave the airport”.
Seoul police have detailed for AFP Travis King’s repeated disputes with South Korean justice, including once for assault. He was released on July 10 after spending two months in prison for violence.
South Korea is a key US ally and hosts some 27,000 US military personnel.
The soldier “had assaulted a person in South Korea, had been detained by the South Korean government and was going to return to the United States to suffer the consequences in the military. I’m sure he was dealing with that,” the Army Secretary said.
“He may not have had clear ideas, frankly, but we don’t know,” said Christine Wormuth.