ASIA PACIFIC

U.S. soldier in North Korea far from first American to flee to reclusive state

Former U.S. Army Sgt. Charles Robert Jenkins, who deserted to North Korea in 1965 and his Japanese wife, Hitomi Soga, who was abducted by North Korean agents in 1978, smile as they receive flower bouquets upon arrival at a town hall in Soga's hometown of Sado, Niigata Prefecture, in December 2004. | REUTERS

By Jadenne Radoc Cabahug
CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Jul 19, 2023

An American service member was believed to be in North Korean custody on Wednesday after willingly crossing into the nuclear-armed country, despite a “do not travel” advisory by the U.S. State Department due to the risk of arrest and long-term detention.

But the service member, Travis King, was far from the first U.S. national to venture into or be detained by the reclusive country.

Numerous U.S. citizens — including soldiers, tourists, journalists and scholars — have been detained or crossed into North Korea since the Cold War.

U.S. soldier in North Korea far from first American to flee to reclusive state

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