BBC News Top Stories-World Travis King in US custody after North Korea expulsion
September 27, 2023 5 min 871 words
这则新闻报道涉及了美国士兵特拉维斯·金（Travis King）在七月份潜入朝鲜后的情况。金兵在朝鲜遭到驱逐后，现已被美国扣押，此事引发了广泛关注。 首先，这起事件突显了国际外交的复杂性。美国与朝鲜之间并无外交关系，因此瑞典大使馆一直扮演着代表美国的保护国的角色，帮助安排金兵的释放。这凸显了外交渠道的关键性，尤其在与封闭的国家打交道时。 金兵的行为引发了对他在美国军队内部遭受“不人道待遇”和种族歧视的担忧。这个问题不容忽视，需要更深入的调查和解决。此外，金兵在韩国被拘留期间，据称遭受了心理压力，这也引发了对美国军队对士兵心理健康的关切。 最后，尽管金兵的行为可能是个人错误，但美国政府坚持要把他带回国，这体现了对士兵的坚定承诺。不论是什么原因，确保士兵的安全和幸福都是首要任务，而金兵的回归将为他提供机会重新融入社会，得到支持和照顾。 总之，金兵事件是一起复杂的国际事件，涉及外交、军事、人权和心理健康等多个方面。我们期待看到金兵能够顺利回归家庭，并希望相关问题能够得到妥善处理和解决。
US soldier Travis King, who fled from South to North Korea in July, is in American custody after being expelled by Pyongyang, officials say.
Pvt King was transferred into US custody in China before being flown to a US military installation.
The 23-year-old reconnaissance specialist illegally crossed into North Korea in July.
North Korean media said he had fled because of "inhuman treatment" and racism within the US military.
A senior administration official said on Wednesday that after months of "intense diplomacy" Pvt King had been returned to US hands and had spoken to his family.
"We can confirm Pvt King is very happy to be on his way home, and he is very much looking forward to reuniting with his family," the official said.
"We are going to guide him through a re-integration process that will address any medical and emotional concerns and ensure we get him in a good place to reunite with his family."
The official added that the US made no concessions to secure his release.
Earlier on Wednesday, North Korea's state-run news agency said the country had decided to remove Pvt King, without offering further details.
"The relevant body in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea has decided to deport US soldier Travis King, who illegally entered the territory of the republic, in accordance with the laws of the republic," it said.
Pvt King has been in the army since January 2021 and was in South Korea as part of a unit rotation.
Before entering North Korea, he had served two months in detention in South Korea on charges that he assaulted two people and kicked a police car. He was released from custody on 10 July.
He had been due to return to the US for disciplinary proceedings, but managed to leave the airport and join a guided tour of the border village of Panmunjom on the heavily guarded Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) between the two countries. Pte King crossed into North Korea while on the tour.
The senior administration official said that the immediate focus will be on getting him medically evaluated before any potential disciplinary and administrative actions.
According to the senior administration official, the US learned earlier this month that North Korea intended to release Pvt King.
Swedish officials travelled to North Korea and brought Pte King to its border with China, where he was handed over to US officials. China played a "constructive role" but "did not mediate", the official added.
"All these pieces had to come together quickly," the US official said.
As the US and North Korea have no diplomatic relations, Sweden's embassy in Pyongyang has traditionally negotiated on behalf of the US.
A Swedish embassy spokesman confirmed that the country had acted "within its role as a protective power" for the US in North Korea during the King case.
Jonathan Franks, a spokesman for Pvt King's mother, Claudine Gates, said in a statement that she will "forever be grateful" to the US Army and its partners "for a job well done".
The statement added that Pvt King's family does not intend to give any interviews "for the foreseeable future".
His relatives have previously told US media that he had experienced discrimination while serving in the US military.
They have said his mental health suffered during his time in South Korean custody.
In an interview with the Associated Press news agency last month, Ms Gates said her son had "so many reasons to come home".
"I just can't see him ever wanting to just stay in Korea when he has family in America," she said.
Frank Aum, a North Korea expert at the Washington DC-based US Institute of Peace, said that Pvt King's 71-day detention was "fairly typical" in cases of US citizens held in the country who "are not perceived to have committed a major crime".
Some analysts had speculated Pyongyang might have opted to use the US soldier as a diplomatic bargaining chip.
In previous instances, North Korea has insisted a senior US representative travel to the country to negotiate any American detainee's release, though there is so far no indication that happened in this case.
"They [North Korea] have believed that may be some way to help re-start talks," said Mr Aum, who was previously a senior adviser on North Korea at the office of the US secretary of defence.
"But it didn't seem like North Korea was interested in doing that this time. That may be a reflection of the fact that North Korea is not interested in engaging with the US at the moment."
Mr Aum added that North Korean officials were also no doubt keen to avoid "reinforcing an international perception" that they are a major human rights violator making arbitrary detentions.
Mick Mulroy, a former deputy assistant secretary of defence and CIA paramilitary officer, told the BBC it is a "good thing" that Pvt King was being returned to US custody, although he "is a young man that made some mistakes".
"He is a US soldier and it was important that we did everything we could to bring him home," Mr Mulroy added.