US Soldier Detained in North Korea

[Chimera]

He was not wearing handcuffs when he was escorted by military police as far as they could go — a security checkpoint at Incheon Airport, a commercial airport about an hour and a half from the DMZ that separates South Korea from the communist North, a senior administration official said.

But instead of continuing alone to the gate and flying back to the U.S., King tagged along with a group that had just arrived and was heading for Panmunjom, which is the Joint Security Area in the middle of the tense border area guarded by North and South Korean soldiers.

U.S. soldier believed to be in North Korean custody after straying over border

Travis King joined a group at the airport headed to the demilitarized zone, where he "bolted," the Pentagon said.

www.nbcnews.com

King had served 47 days at a South Korean detention facility following an altercation with locals, according to a U.S. official.

Two other U.S. officials confirmed to ABC News King was released from the detention facility, then spent about a week at a U.S. base in South Korea under observation. He completed out-processing from the facility and on Monday was escorted to the Incheon International Airport as far as the customs checkpoint. The military escort had no ticket and was not allowed past the checkpoint, so King continued into the terminal alone.

Because King had finished serving his time, he was no longer under custody. An escort to the gate was not required, and there was no reason to suspect he would fail to board his flight.

US soldier in North Korean custody after crossing DMZ line

Pvt. Travis King crossed into North Korea willingly, two U.S. officials said.

abcnews.go.com

Re-posting this ; as it answers some questions hopefully ?
Thanks, @cujenn81 !
Like I said before, it's all such a cluster but, it looks like TK did act of his own volition ?

Also reiterating that maybe some changes in transporting need to be made ?

But no one could have anticipated TK's actions, so there's that.
Omo.

 

[lonewanderer]

How did he get from the airport to....where? Straight to the DMZ area??
Surely you'd have to go into Seoul City centre first.

Or did he get on the tour groups bus at the airport?

Seems a very brazen and weird thing to do. Most tour guides would know he wasn't on their trip. They have names and total numbers booked on.

Likely the tour group bus at the airport.

It wouldn't be as hard as you might think. The airport here is always super busy, and once you walk through the doors after landing, you are immediately targeted by tons of people asking you if you need a taxi ride.

DMZ tour is a big attraction here, and there is tons of pickup places for DMZ buses in Seoul.

 

[LadyL]

not likely anything medical going on, otherwise he would have been in medical care

mental health care often gets ignored

 

[LadyL]

Not necessarily

that's why I said 'may'

 

[GoBuckeyes]

he was part of a tour group so he maybe had assistance to 'get himself there'

ETA: his troubles leading up to this could also indicate something else medical going on with him

He has an anger problem.

 

[LadyL]

Did he actually sign up for this tour somehow online, once he left the airport?

Or did he see the tour group at the airport while he was there, and attach himself to them? Did they get talking to him, and him where they were going? So he just tagged along?

But surely the tour guid would know how many were in the group and how many spaces were taken on the bus.
They're always counting people on and off, making sure noone is left behind.

If they have one person extra, it'd be obvious someone is a stowaway!

this article says he had 'reservations'

https://www.cnn.com/2023/07/24/asia/unc-conversation-begins-north-korea-travis-king-intl-hnk/index.html

 

[LadyL]

He has an anger problem.

probably but that's mental health

 

[thefragile7393]

probably but that's mental health

You can be hot tempered without psych issues. He may have them as well of course. And military isn’t likely to give us a full run down of his mental and physical health…all we have are just thoughts

 

[thefragile7393]

mental health care often gets ignored

they can but we don’t know that’s what is going on here. We can’t fathom anyone in their right mind would want to do this but we have to remember that people in their right mind can do whatever they wish-regardless of how we see it. He was able to join a tour group and plan this out. He ran over the line himself. So far there isn’t anything to imply he has mental health issues and it’s hard to say unless the military wants to put that info out there (which they won’t)

 

[LadyL]

they can but we don’t know that’s what is going on here. We can’t fathom anyone in their right mind would want to do this but we have to remember that people in their right mind can do whatever they wish-regardless of how we see it. He was able to join a tour group and plan this out. He ran over the line himself. So far there isn’t anything to imply he has mental health issues and it’s hard to say unless the military wants to put that info out there (which they won’t)

I understand - I'm just thinking about all the issues that led up to this may have been a spiral

 

[LadyL]

I hate to think what is happening to him now ...

 

[vickjul]

Per the news articles earlier in the thread, he ran into the North Korean zone in a heavily patrolled area with numerous observation posts on both sides of the border. The North Koreans knew he crossed the border immediately. They have observers everywhere.

I've actually been to the border area where this took place. There's continual observation by both sides. King would have been intercepted immediately.

As far as an extraction, that would be an extraordinary mission. Diplomacy would be the only viable process. As far as the effort expended, I don't think any US administration would offer much for him as an exchange.

Exactly. I taught in a small town near the DMZ for several years and met my now-husband while he was stationed over there. We've also both been to Panmunjom and agree that there is no way to cross the border in this area either by accident OR without being observed. There's also no way that King, as a soldier stationed near the DMZ, had not been VERY well-versed in the risks of crossing that line.

I cannot wrap my head around anyone familiar with this region of the world thinking that North Korea would be preferable to an "administrative separation." If nothing else, tourists are all briefed on incidents that have previously occurred in the Joint Security Area including the 1976 "hatchet murders" in which two U.S. soldiers on tree trimming duty were attacked and brutally murdered by N. Korean troops. Even if he got a wild hair at the airport, I cannot wrap my head around him making the tour bus trip from Incheon to Panmunjom, being regaled with stories of N. Korean atrocities the whole way, and still thinking that running into the arms of N. Korean forces was a "good idea."

 

[MiamiGuy50]

Exactly. I taught in a small town near the DMZ for several years and met my now-husband while he was stationed over there. We've also both been to Panmunjom and agree that there is no way to cross the border in this area either by accident OR without being observed. There's also no way that King, as a soldier stationed near the DMZ, had not been VERY well-versed in the risks of crossing that line.

I cannot wrap my head around anyone familiar with this region of the world thinking that North Korea would be preferable to an "administrative separation." If nothing else, tourists are all briefed on incidents that have previously occurred in the Joint Security Area including the 1976 "hatchet murders" in which two U.S. soldiers on tree trimming duty were attacked and brutally murdered by N. Korean troops. Even if he got a wild hair at the airport, I cannot wrap my head around him making the tour bus trip from Incheon to Panmunjom, being regaled with stories of N. Korean atrocities the whole way, and still thinking that running into the arms of N. Korean forces was a "good idea."

The craziest part (well one of the craziest) is he booked the tour immediately after he got out of the South Korea jail. Like he planned this whole thing while he was in the jail

 

[thefragile7393]

The craziest part is he booked the tour immediately after he got out of the South Korea jail. Like he planned this whole thing while he was in the jail

It sure seems like it. Unsure about how he was able to do this...clearly he wasn't around military handlers

 

[LadyL]

It sure seems like it. Unsure about how he was able to do this...clearly he wasn't around military handlers

well he would've been given his personal possessions correct? including a phone?

 

[thefragile7393]

well he would've been given his personal possessions correct? including a phone?

possibly. Maybe. Maybe not. Unsure.

 

[MiamiGuy50]

well he would've been given his personal possessions correct? including a phone?

I didn’t mean he planned the logistics. Just the general decision to cross. Maybe not though.

 

[sassyblue]

Oh he planned to cross into North Korea.

It's like jumping from the frying pan into the fire. And he was laughing as he did it.

Well now he can just settle in and enjoy life there right? Since he thought it would be better than returning home to the democracy he's used to...even though he was facing some form of discipline for his actions while in South Korea where he apparently treated native South Koreans with a lot of disrespect.

Be careful what you wish for...might not be what you had hoped for.

 

[PrairieWind]

I can't imagine what he was thinking. He obviously wasn't thinking very well. Certainly the North Koreans are aware of what he did in S.Korea and his comments about Koreans, etc. I can't imagine that he is being treated very well right now.

 

[LaborDayRN]

Oh he planned to cross into North Korea.

It's like jumping from the frying pan into the fire. And he was laughing as he did it.

Well now he can just settle in and enjoy life there right? Since he thought it would be better than returning home to the democracy he's used to...even though he was facing some form of discipline for his actions while in South Korea where he apparently treated native South Koreans with a lot of disrespect.

Be careful what you wish for...might not be what you had hoped for.

Is it possible that he had a previous relationship with the government or a person in North Korea? (not acusing him of spying, I just can't think of another reason he would cross into North Korea)