Kim vows to boost North Korea’s nuclear capability after observing new ICBM launch
NBCJul 09, 2023
The Facts
US officials stated Tuesday that an American soldier, reportedly Private 2nd Class Travis King, is believed to be in North Korean custody after deliberately crossing the border during a civilian tour to the Joint Security Area (JSA) on the demilitarized zone (DMZ).
King had been punished for assault charges while stationed in South Korea and ordered to go home, but somehow skipped his flight to the US by eluding officials at the airport before making his way north.
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
While it remains unclear why the soldier decided to put himself in such a dangerous situation by crossing the border, his choice has handed North Korea another piece of leverage to force the US to ease sanctions and recognize the country as a nuclear power. The way out of this incident will surely be costly, but the US has a moral obligation to get this individual out of North Korea.
Establishment-critical narrative
Though rare, this incident isn't likely to become a big deal if America refrains from escalating the situation by attacking North Koreans for taking into custody the US service member who willfully entered the country without any authorization. This can be swiftly resolved through sincere dialogue between Washington and Pyongyang.
