The North Korean government has released a U.S. serviceman after holding him in detainment since July, Fox News Digital has confirmed.
The North Korean government returned U.S. Army Pvt. Travis King to U.S. custody in mainland China on Wednesday following months of imprisonment, according to North Korean state outlets and the U.S. National Security Council.
“The relevant organ of the [Democratic People’s Republic of Korea] decided to expel Travis King, a soldier of the U.S. Army who illegally intruded into the territory of the DPRK, under the law of the Republic,” state media outlet Korean Central News Agency wrote early Wednesday, according to translations provided by Yonhap News Agency.
The National Security Council confirmed King’s return in a call later the same morning.
“U.S. officials have secured the return of Private Travis King from the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK),” said Pentagon Spokesperson Brigadier Gen Patrick Ryder.
She added, “We appreciate the hard work of personnel in the Army, United States Forces Korea, and across the Department of Defense to bring Private King home, and we thank the governments of Sweden and the People’s Republic of China (PRC) for their assistance.”
