North Korea has said that the US soldier who crossed over to its territory wanted refuge there or in another country because of "inhuman maltreatment and racial discrimination" in the United States and the military, Reported Reuters citing state media. Notably, this is Pyongyang's first public acknowledgment of King's crossing from South Korea on July 18. Travis King, a private in the US Army dashed into the North while he was on a civilian tour of the Joint Security Area (JSA) on the heavily fortified border between North and South Koreas.
According to the report, North Korean investigators have also concluded that the soldier crossed deliberately and illegally. State news agency KCNA said that King had the intent to stay in the North or in a third country, the report added.
"During the investigation, Travis King confessed that he had decided to come over to the DPRK as he harbored ill feeling against inhuman maltreatment and racial discrimination within the US Army," KCNA reported, as per Reuters.
It further said, "He also expressed his willingness to seek refugee in the DPRK or a third country, saying that he was disillusioned at the unequal American society."
State media said that King was kept under control by soldiers of the Korean People's Army after he corss over the border and a probe is still on.
Talking to ABC News, as per Reuters, King's uncle Myron Gates said his nephew was experiencing racism during his military deployment, gates added that after King spent time in a South Korean jail, he did not sound like himself.
Meanwhile, the Pentagon said it could not verify King's comments as reported by KCNA. As per Reuters, the Pentagon said it remains focused on the soldier’s safe return.
US officials have said that factors including King's decision to cross into North Korea of his own free will, in civilian attire, appear to have disqualified him from POW status, the report added.