The US Department of State said it cannot verify the press reports that the US Army Private Travis King crossed into North Korea in mid-July without authorization, or the comments attributed to him.
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, the Department’s Principal Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel said, “I have no updates — What I will say is, though, that we remain focused on his safe return and our priority is to bring Pvt King home.” “We are working through all available channels to achieve that outcome. And his well-being continues to be a top priority for us, as well as his safety,” Patel added.
Earlier today, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported that North Korea holds Private King who crossed the border on July 18, claiming that he seeks asylum to North Korea or a third country “to escape racism and mistreatment in the US military and society.”
Source: Kuwait News Agency