Accessibility links
Travis King Travis King
Stories About

Travis King

Travis King, U.S. soldier who ran to North Korea, is on his way to Texas

A TV screen shows a file image of U.S. soldier Travis King during a news program at the Seoul Railway Station in Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday. North Korea said Wednesday that it was expelling King, who crossed into the country through the heavily armed border between the Koreas in July. Ahn Young-joon/AP hide caption

toggle caption
Ahn Young-joon/AP

World

Travis King, U.S. soldier who ran to North Korea, is on his way to Texas

U.S. officials thanked Sweden and China for help securing the release of the 23-year-old Army private, who fled to North Korea in July.

Travis King, U.S. soldier who ran to North Korea, is on his way to Texas

Listen · 2:10
Transcript
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1201974521/1202128396" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript
North Korea says a U.S. soldier crossed its border because of the racism in America

A TV screen shows a file image of U.S. soldier Travis King during a news program at the Seoul Railway Station in Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday, Aug. 16, 2023. Ahn Young-joon/AP hide caption

toggle caption
Ahn Young-joon/AP

Asia

North Korea says a U.S. soldier crossed its border because of the racism in America

The report from the government-owned and -run news agency marks North Korea's first public confirmation of the incident since 23-year-old Travis King crossed the border in July.

As North Korea fires missiles, it stays silent on U.S. soldier who fled to the country

A TV screen shows a file image of North Korea's missile launch during a news program at the Seoul Railway Station in Seoul, South Korea, on Saturday. Ahn Young-joon/AP hide caption

toggle caption
Ahn Young-joon/AP

Asia

As North Korea fires missiles, it stays silent on U.S. soldier who fled to the country

While adding to its barrage of missile launches in recent months, North Korea remained publicly silent for a fifth day on the fate of an American soldier who ran into the country earlier in the week.

Travis King isn't the 1st U.S. soldier to enter North Korea. Here's a history

Charles Jenkins (left), age 64, his wife Hitomi Soga (second from left) and their daughters arrive at Japan's Sado Island in December 2004, almost 40 years after he defected to North Korea. Jiji Press/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

toggle caption
Jiji Press/AFP via Getty Images

History

Travis King isn't the 1st U.S. soldier to enter North Korea. Here's a history

Travis King crossed the border into North Korea on Tuesday, becoming the first U.S. service member to do so since 1982. A handful of American soldiers defected in the years after the Korean War.

Browse archive or search npr.org