American Soldier Detained

US service member Travis King is reportedly in North Korean custody after crossing the heavily fortified border from South Korea, according to a UN official yesterday. The incident occurred at the Joint Security Area within the demilitarized zone between North and South Korea, known to be full of land mines and has stationed troops and guard posts on both sides.

Officials revealed the US citizen had served time at a detention facility in South Korea and was being escorted back to the United States for disciplinary reasons. However, he managed to slip through airport security and join a border tour before willfully crossing into North Korea.

The incident is expected to add to already heightened tensions between North Korea and the US following a recent visit of a US nuclear submarine to South Korea. Visiting North Korea has been banned since 2017 after the death of American student Otto Warmbier, who suffered severe injuries during detention there. See other Americans who have crossed into North Korea here.