North Korea detains US soldier Travis King: What happens to foreigners arrested in North Korea

In an unexpected and highly unusual event, a young American soldier named Private 2nd Class Travis King voluntarily crossed the heavily fortified inter-Korean border, thereby entering North Korea illegally. His current detention in North Korea has sparked a potential diplomatic crisis and has stoked existing tensions between the United States and the nuclear-armed state.

Travis King's mother, Claudine Gates, who lives in Racine, Wisconsin, expressed her shock during an interview with ABC News. She mentioned her last communication with her son was merely a few days before the incident. Travis had informed her of his planned return to his base at Fort Bliss, Texas. Learning about her son's unexpected detour into North Korea, she said, "I can't see Travis doing anything like that."

What happens to foreigners arrested in North Korea?

In North Korea, foreign prisoners, especially those from the United States, are often perceived as a high-value bargaining chip to exert pressure on adversarial countries. Since the 1990s, a majority of foreigners detained have been American citizens, with some being dual citizens of the US and South Korea. These individuals are typically accused of high-level crimes like planning to overthrow the state and are subjected to harsh sentences in notorious labor camps. The treatment of foreigners in North Korea often involves hard labor, strict isolation, and physically harsh conditions, with release often dependent on high-level diplomatic negotiations. An estimate suggests that 20 Americans have been detained in North Korea since 1995, with most having dual citizenship with South Korea. 

Some famous cases of detentions include university student Otto Warmbier, retiree Bruce Byron Lowrance, a 24-year-old teacher Matthew Miller, Evangelical Christian missionary Kenneth Bae, California-based journalists Eura Lee and Laura Ling, and Evan Hunziker, the first American to be charged for espionage in North Korea. 

The treatment of foreigners detained in North Korea, particularly Americans, often involves harsh conditions and politically motivated judgments. In the most tragic case, Warmbier, a student fascinated by North Korean culture, was sentenced to 15 years' imprisonment with hard labour for allegedly attempting to steal a propaganda poster. He suffered a serious neurological injury while in custody and died six days after his release. Warmbier’s family stated that his body had signs of extreme and obvious torture. In contrast, Bruce Byron Lowrance, who illegally entered North Korea with the aim of easing US-North Korean tensions, was released after a month.

Matthew Miller and Kenneth Bae both experienced hard labor and stringent prison conditions. Miller, accused of espionage, had initially planned to defect to North Korea but changed his mind and was released a month after his sentencing. Bae, an Evangelical Christian missionary, was charged with "hostile acts" after authorities found Christian material on his hard drive. His health severely deteriorated due to grueling labor and harsh prison conditions. He was released alongside Miller following high-level diplomatic intervention.

Lastly, journalists Eura Lee and Laura Ling were arrested while filming a documentary along the China-North Korea border. They were sentenced to 12 years' hard labour but were released following diplomatic negotiations and a surprise visit by former President Bill Clinton.  King's crossing isn't the first incident of a US soldier voluntarily entering North Korea. In 1965, four American soldiers defected, but only one, Charles Robert Jenkins, was eventually released after 40 years. The fate of Travis King remains unclear as he was facing disciplinary actions due to assault charges in South Korea.

More information emerge about Travis King

Travis King, who enlisted in the US Army in 2021, had recently completed nearly two months in a South Korean jail on assault charges. Upon his release on July 10, he was supposed to return to his base in Texas to face additional disciplinary action. The US officials escorted King through the airport security gates, but instead of boarding his scheduled flight, King joined a civilian tour of the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) between South and North Korea. During the tour, he left the group and reportedly crossed into North Korea with a loud laugh.

The United Nations Command confirmed King's unauthorised crossing, according to reports.

North Korea is yet to release a statement or comment on the incident. The state-owned Korean Central News Agency and the North Korean mission at the United Nations have also maintained silence, leading to speculations among analysts about Pyongyang's deliberation over this unusual development.