North Korea claims that Travis King, the American soldier who crossed into North Korean territory last month, did so because of ‘inhuman maltreatment and racial discrimination’.
King had been part of a tour on the border between North Korea and South Korea when he ran into North Korean territory.
The statement making the claims was published by a North Korean-government news agency.
Concerns are growing over King, as he has not been seen or heard of since he crossed the border.
The North Korean media statement said: ‘During the investigation, Travis King confessed that he had decided to come over to the DPRK [North Korea] as he harboured ill feeling against inhuman maltreatment and racial discrimination within the US Army. He also expressed his willingness to seek refuge in the DPRK or a third country, saying that he was disillusioned at the unequal American society.’
Defections by American soldiers to North Korea, have been rare historically, but are not unheard of.
Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay