The man was visiting the border between the two Koreas as a tourist when he ran across the area where the military from both countries are located.
A US citizen entered North Korea during a tourist visit to that country’s heavily guarded border with South Korea, it is believed that UN troops in the sector were unable to stop him as he quickly crossed to the other side. A senior Washington official later acknowledged that it was a US soldier who was wearing plain clothes at the time of the incident.
“A US citizen deliberately and without authorization crossed the Military Demarcation Line” with the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) during a visit to the Common Security Zone, the sector under UN control, the command post of United Nations. “We assume that he is currently detained in the DPRK, and we are working with our colleagues in the North Korean People’s Army to resolve the incident,” the UN command post said.
The Washington Post and the South Korean newspaper Dong-a Ilbo initially reported that the citizen was a soldier in the US armed forces, which was confirmed hours later by a senior Washington official to the AFP news agency. The source, who has not been identified, added that the authorities assume that the military is being held in North Korea.
sanctioned soldier
According to CBS News, he is a low-ranking soldier in the US Army who was to be transferred to the United States for disciplinary reasons. The soldier managed to return after clearing security at the Seoul airport and joining a group of tourists with whom he arrived at the border.
This explains the information that appeared in the South Korean press that the man was visiting the area as a tourist and that, after entering the central booth known as “Conference row”, he ran towards the North Korean side laughing. The reaction of the North Korean authorities, who still keep their borders closed due to the coronavirus pandemic, is unknown.
There were no indications that the soldier was trying to defect, another US official said.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin confirmed the soldier had deliberately crossed into North Korea and said he was “absolutely concerned” for the soldier’s well-being.
“We are closely monitoring and investigating the situation, and working to notify the soldier’s family and commit to addressing this incident,” Austin said at a news conference Tuesday.
The Joint Security Area is the most recognizable part of the broader Demilitarized Zone between South and North Korea, and tours of the area are open to the public and organized by the United Nations Command.
The UN Command is occupying the southern fringe of the Joint Security Zone (JSA), the only point in the heart of the border where troops from the two Koreas can see each other. The place is also a popular tourist destination from the South Korean side. South Korea and North Korea are technically still at war.
The Joint Security Area is the most recognizable part of the broader Demilitarized Zone between South and North Korea, and tours of the area are open to the public and organized by the United Nations Command.
The JSA has been unarmed since 2018 after an inter-Korean military agreement, so both the UNC and North Korean soldiers in the area are unarmed. Neither UN command soldiers nor North Korean soldiers are allowed to cross the military demarcation line that separates North and South.
AFP
