US Soldier being held in North Korea

VincentHanna · 16 Aug 2023 at 08:41

delta0 said:
Travis King: US soldier entered N Korea because of 'discrimination in US Army', Pyongyang claims

In its first comments on the story, state news agency KCNA says Travis King decided to enter North Korean territory last month, partly because he was "disillusioned at the unequal American society".

news.sky.com

I have so many questions about this now. How did he think it would be any better in N.Korea?

Your taking North Korea's official version of events at face value?

delta0 · 16 Aug 2023 at 08:47

VincentHanna said:
Your taking North Korea's official version of events at face value?

Definitely not but who knows why he would run across the border.

VincentHanna · 16 Aug 2023 at 08:48

delta0 said:
Definitely not but who knows why he would run across the border.

His uncle said he had a breakdown and had been acting "crazy" for a few months.

Uther · 16 Aug 2023 at 08:49

delta0 said:
Travis King: US soldier entered N Korea because of 'discrimination in US Army', Pyongyang claims

In its first comments on the story, state news agency KCNA says Travis King decided to enter North Korean territory last month, partly because he was "disillusioned at the unequal American society".

news.sky.com

I have so many questions about this now. How did he think it would be any better in N.Korea?

Well let's see what he thinks of the place once they've sentenced him to a decade of hard labour for illegally crossing the border...

delta0 · 16 Aug 2023 at 08:53

VincentHanna said:
His uncle said he had a breakdown and had been acting "crazy" for a few months.

So what N.Korea are claiming isn’t out of the realms of possibility. The cause of going crazy.

Jokester · 16 Aug 2023 at 09:14

delta0 said:
Travis King: US soldier entered N Korea because of 'discrimination in US Army', Pyongyang claims

In its first comments on the story, state news agency KCNA says Travis King decided to enter North Korean territory last month, partly because he was "disillusioned at the unequal American society".

news.sky.com

I have so many questions about this now. How did he think it would be any better in N.Korea?

Well I guess 99.9% of the population are equal. Just not in the way he probably wants.

arknor · 16 Aug 2023 at 12:05

dowie said:
I think he's hoping they'll treat him like a celebrity so long as he allows himself to be used as some anti-Western stooge or something.

any crappy life in the west must be better than living in North Korea

Roar87 · 16 Aug 2023 at 12:08

bingham67 said:
BBC seems to be all over this with a live feed but here some of the details.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/world-asia-66234882

Think id take my chances going back to the USA then some North Korean prison

Why would he be in prison for defecting to North Korea? lol

Uther · 16 Aug 2023 at 13:11

Roar87 said:
Why would he be in prison for defecting to North Korea? lol

Because the North Koreans have said he has illegally crossed the border, so he could well find himself in a labour camp. Sorry to burst your bubble about NK being a paradise.

Roar87 · 16 Aug 2023 at 13:16

Uther said:
Because the North Koreans have said he has illegally crossed the border, so he could well find himself in a labour camp. Sorry to burst your bubble about NK being a paradise.

Nah it's definitely not a paradise, but I don't think North Korea is going to treat someone badly who has defected and is publicly **** talking the US military lol. It's like the ideal domestic and international propaganda tool for them.

taB · 16 Aug 2023 at 13:26

Nutter. Would have been quite easy to do though.

I've been to South Korea but there's no record of it. I crossed the border from the North while in one of the negotiation huts that span it.

Raymond Lin · 16 Aug 2023 at 13:35

Lol, does he think there is no racism in Asia or Korea (north or south?).

There are racial discrimination too in Korea, or anywhere really. Sometimes it might not be so blatant and out in the open but it is certainly there.

p.s. he will most definitely be arrested, locked up and interrogated. For 1 thing, he is American, 2nd, he is a soldier. They will suspect he is a spy. They locked up that US tourist for taking a poster from the hotel and accused him of subversion!

Uther · 27 Sep 2023 at 14:47

Travis King in US custody after North Korea expulsion

The 23-year-old reconnaissance specialist has been transferred to US custody in China, US officials say.

www.bbc.co.uk

bingham67 · 27 Sep 2023 at 20:23

What deal been cut here then?

mrk · 27 Sep 2023 at 21:00

Chinese border city of Dandong

Haha, dong.

Uther · 20 Oct 2023 at 12:37

Travis King: US soldier who fled to North Korea hit with child abuse image and desertion charges

The 23-year-old army private ran across the Korean border in July and spent two months detained. Travis King was previously set to return to the US to face disciplinary action.

news.sky.com