00:00 This is Private Second Class Travis King.
00:02 He's a United States soldier who recently evaded his security escort back to the US
00:07 from South Korea, where he was to see disciplinary action, before finding his way to the Joint
00:12 Security Area and running across the border into North Korea.
00:15 He was immediately nabbed by the North, and since then there's been little news of his
00:19 whereabouts.
00:20 Now, UN Command says they are in touch with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
00:25 Here's UN Deputy Commander Lieutenant General Andrew Harrison.
00:28 The first is, the primary concern for us is Private King's welfare, and a conversation
00:33 has commenced with the KPA through the mechanisms of the armistice agreement.
00:38 He added that further comment could jeopardize the talks with North Korea, saying only that
00:42 the Joint Security Area has now been closed to tourists.
00:46 King had spent some time in South Korean jail for assault just prior to his absconding to
00:50 North Korea.
00:51 Shortly after being released into US custody, he was headed back to the US for disciplinary
00:55 action, but evaded his escort at a South Korean airport.
00:59 He then got into a tour group headed to the JSA, something authorities say would have
01:03 taken days of planning, as those tours require passport information, just in case something
01:08 like this happens.
01:09 North Korean news media has so far remained silent about the US soldier's detention.
01:14 [MUSIC PLAYING]
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