U.S. Army Private Travis King Returns Home After North Korea Expulsion
U.S. Army Private Travis King has touched down at a U.S. military base in Texas early Thursday. He was expelled from North Korea after his unexpected crossing of the heavily fortified border two months ago, according to a statement from a U.S. defense official provided to Reuters.
King’s arrival in Texas occurred aboard a U.S. military flight, which landed at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston around 0530 GMT, as confirmed by the official.”
Television footage depicted a group of individuals disembarking from an aircraft at the base during that time.
King is anticipated to undergo a medical assessment at Brooke Army Medical Center, a facility situated within Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston. This is the same hospital where basketball star Brittney Griner received treatment in December following a prisoner exchange with Russia, which secured her release after 10 months of detention.
Private Travis King’s Return: Evaluation, Reintegration, and the Complexities of his North Korea Entry
The U.S. government has stated that upon his return, King will initially undergo an evaluation followed by a reintegration process to facilitate his reunion with his family.
At the age of 23, King made headlines when he entered North Korea from the South on July 18 during a civilian tour of the heavily fortified border. He was promptly apprehended by North Korean authorities.
It remains uncertain whether King will face disciplinary measures from the U.S. Army. Remarkably, the Army has refrained from categorizing him as a deserter, despite his unauthorized border crossing while on active duty.
In contrast, North Korea seems to have viewed his case as one of illegal immigration. According to North Korea’s KCNA state news agency, Travis King conveyed to Pyongyang that he had entered North Korea unlawfully due to his disillusionment with the unequal nature of U.S. society.
The Swedish government, acting as the representative of U.S. interests in North Korea due to the absence of U.S. diplomatic presence in the country, successfully retrieved King from North Korea and subsequently facilitated his journey to China.
According to the State Department, U.S. Ambassador to Beijing, Nicholas Burns, met with King in Dandong, China, a city bordering North Korea. From there, King was transported to Shenyang, China, and then to Osan Air Force Base in South Korea, before continuing his journey back to the United States.
Travis King, who enlisted in the U.S. army in January 2021, had been facing two allegations of assault in South Korea. He pleaded guilty to one instance of assault and causing damage to public property, specifically a police car, during an incident characterized by profanity-laden outbursts against Koreans, as indicated by court documents. Upon his return to the United States, he was expected to face further disciplinary actions.
In July, Travis King had completed his military detention and was at the airport, awaiting U.S. military transport to his assigned unit in the United States. However, he made the unexpected decision to leave the airport and participate in a tour of the border area, leading to his entry into North Korea, despite efforts by both South Korean and U.S. guards to prevent him.