North Korea claims Travis King, the US soldier who ran into its territory, was unhappy with 'racial discrimination' and an 'unequal society' in America
Business InsiderAug 07, 2023
The Facts
The White House officially announced on Wednesday that Private Travis King, the US soldier who fled into North Korea in July, has returned to American custody with no concessions reportedly being made to Pyongyang for his release.
King was handed over to a US official at the Chinese border and then flown to Osan Air Force Base in South Korea before departing for the US, where he is expected to be taken to Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas.
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
The return of this troubled young soldier is an outright diplomatic victory for the US. With the support of Sweden to solve this issue, Washington has successfully found a way to bring King back home in good health and good spirits without making a single concession to Pyongyang.
Establishment-critical narrative
Though the US may boast its diplomatic efforts to release King from North Korean custody in its latest propaganda stunt, the plain truth is that the US soldier who illegally crossed the Korean border is only returning home now because Pyongyang has decided to expel him after the investigation into this incident was concluded.
