#NorthKorea #Travis #King
Two US officials said that the American soldier who crossed into North Korea two months ago is being detained by the US. Private Travis King has been transferred to U.S. custody in China, an official said Wednesday. Previously, North Korea announced that it would deport King. The announcement surprised some observers, who expected North to extend detention in hope of extracting concessions from Washington at a time when tensions between rivals are high. READ Jacinta Allan will be the next Victorian premier A TV screen shows file footage of American soldier Travis King during a newscast at Seoul Train Station in South Korea. « U.S. officials secured the return of Private Travis King from the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, » White House national security advisor Jake Sullivan said in a statement. “We appreciate the dedication of the interagency team who worked tirelessly to look out for Private King’s welfare.” Officials said they did not know exactly why North Korea decided to deport King, but they suspected Pyongyang decided that as a low-ranking soldier he had no real value in either influence or information. The official, who was not authorized comment and asked not to be named, said the North Koreans may have decided it was okay keep the 23-year-old King rather than release him. Swedish officials took King to the Chinese border, where he was greeted by U.S. Ambassador to China Nicholas Burns, Swedish Ambassador to China, and at least one U.S. Department of Defense official. Biden administration officials insisted they made no concessions to North Korea to secure the soldier’s release. « We thank government Sweden its diplomatic role serving as a protective force for United States in North Korea and government of People’s Republic China its assistance in facilitating Private King’s transition, » Sullivan said. A rolling castle Inside Kim Jong-un’s private armored train King was flown to a US military base in South Korea before being extradited to the US. Deportation almost certainly does not put an end to his troubles or warrant the kind of homecoming celebration that has accompanied the release of other detained Americans. He was declared a deserter from the army, which could mean military imprisonment, loss of pay, or a dishonorable discharge. In the near term, officials will focus on helping King reintegrate into U.S. society, including helping him address his mental and emotional concerns, according to senior Biden administration officials who briefed reporters on the transfer. The soldier was « in good spirits and healthy » when he was released, according to a senior administration official. He will be taken to Brooke Army Medical Center at Fort Sam Houston in Texas and is expected to arrive there overnight, officials said. King is seen in the lower left corner wearing a black shirt and black hat during a tour of the tightly controlled Joint Security Area. King, who was stationed South Korea, came across N
