Update (0656 EST):
According to North Korean media:
“As a result of confirming the identity of the tourist who defected to North Korea, it was confirmed that he was King Travis, a private in the US Army, who defected to North Korea during a security tour organized by the United Nations (UN) from 2:30 to 4:00 pm on the same day.“
Update (0634 EST): According to North Korean media, a U.S. Army soldier defected:
“The identity of the tourists who defected to North Korea was known to be soldiers belonging to the US Army.”
According to the United Nations, a U.S. person crossed the Military Line of Demarcation into the Joint Security Area and was arrested by North Korean authorities. The announcement reads below:
“A U.S. National on a JSA orientation tour crossed, without authorization, the Military Demarcation Line into the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK). We believe he is currently in DPRK custody and are working with our KPA counterparts to resolve this incident.”
A U.S. National on a JSA orientation tour crossed, without authorization, the Military Demarcation Line into the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK). We believe he is currently in DPRK custody and are working with our KPA counterparts to resolve this incident. pic.twitter.com/a6amvnJTuY
— United Nations Command ??????/??? (@UN_Command) July 18, 2023
According to local North Korean media, an African-American male defected to the North during a UN tour of the Joint Security Area.
This is developing.
