North Korea has said US soldier Travis King crossed into its territory last month because of “inhuman maltreatment and racial discrimination” in the army.
The 23-year-old private dashed across the border from South Korea on 18 July while on a guided tour.
Private King admitted to crossing illegally and wanted refuge in the North, state news agency KCNA reported. It is the first time Pyongyang has acknowledged detaining the soldier. The claims have not been verified.
They appeared in a statement which has so far only been published by the government-controlled KCNA. It did not provide further details about Private King’s health or whether the country would accept him as a refugee.
Concerns have been growing for the welfare of the US soldier, who has not been heard from or seen since his crossing.
The US is trying to negotiate Private King’s release with the help of the UN Command, which runs the border area, and has a direct phoneline to the North Korean army.
Responding to the North Korean report on Wednesday, a Pentagon official said the US could not verify the claims and its priority was to have Private King brought home safely “through all available channels”.
Credit: bbc.com
