In mid-July, a US serviceman defected from South Korea to North Korea.
North Korean authorities have unveiled the reasons behind the crossing of an American soldier onto their territory from a US military base in South Korea, reports Sarbaz.kz citing Korean media sources.
On July 19, Travis King, a US serviceman who was supposed to return to the US, fled from Incheon Airport to North Korean territory, where he was apprehended by local border guards. North Korea refrained from providing official comments on this incident for several weeks.
On August 15, North Korea stated that Travis King cited "inhumane treatment and racial discrimination in the US military" as the cause for his crossing onto North Korean territory.
Furthermore, King expressed his disillusionment with inequality in American society. He intends to seek asylum in North Korea or a third country.
The US Department of Defense revealed post-incident that King had disciplinary issues and was serving a 50-day confinement for assault before being sent back to the US. On the day of his escape, King successfully passed passport control and managed to blend in with a group of tourists at the airport, subsequently making his way to the North Korean border and crossing it.
