Moment as US soldier Travis King returns to America after landing in Texas, a day after North Korea expelled him for ‘intruding’ into the rogue state
- North Korea abruptly announced on Wednesday that it would deport 23-year-old American soldier Travis King
The moment when soldier Travis King landed back on American soil after two months in North Korea has been released.
King, 23, made a brazen escape into North Korean territory in July when he broke away from a tour group checking out the demilitarized area between the rogue state and the South. The Wisconsin native had not been heard from since.
In the clip, King appeared to calmly walk off a plane in San Antonio, Texas. He landed around 1:30 am local time.
Dressed in what appeared to be civilian clothes, he spoke briefly to people waiting on the tarmac, one in military gear and one in street clothes. A nearby photographer took pictures of the conversation.
King shook hands with one before being led into a building without the apparent presence of an armed guard.
His release was secured with the help of ally Sweden and rival China, the White House said on Wednesday. North Korea had abruptly announced it would oust King.
He has been declared AWOL by the military. In many cases, someone who is absent for more than a month can automatically be considered a deserter.
The penalty for leaving or deserting can vary, depending in part on whether the service member returned voluntarily or was apprehended. The transfer of King by the North Koreans complicates that.
It was not clear why the North — which has tense relations with Washington over Pyongyang’s nuclear program, support for Russia’s war in Ukraine and other issues — agreed to extradite him or why the soldier had fled in the first place.
King, who had served in South Korea, encountered North Korea during a civilian tour of a border village on July 18, becoming the first American in nearly five years confirmed to be being held in the North.
At the time, King was said to be on his way to Fort Bliss, Texas, after his release from prison in South Korea for assault.
His release will almost certainly not end his problems. He has been declared AWOL by the military, a status punishable by detention in a military prison, forfeiture of pay or dishonorable discharge.
On Wednesday, Swedish officials took King to the Chinese border, where he was met by U.S. Ambassador to China Nicholas Burns, Sweden’s ambassador to China and at least one U.S. Defense Department official.
Biden administration officials insisted they were making no concessions to North Korea to secure the soldier’s release.
King was flown to a US military base in South Korea before being returned to the US
King was flown to a US military base in South Korea before being returned to the US