US soldier likely held in DPRK after illegally crossing inter-border
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The border village in the demilitarized zone of Panmunjom that separates the two Koreas, where the tourist crossed, is uninhabited but heavily guarded.
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Three ROK soldiers watching the border at Panmunjeom in the DMZ between North and South Korea (Wikipedia Commons/Henrik Ishihara)
The UN Command reported on Tuesday that a US national is likely to be held in DPRK custody after crossing the inter-Korean border from South Korea without approval.
The person was taking part in a tour of the Joint Security Area, which is the border village in the demilitarized zone of Panmunjom that separates the two Koreas and guards stand on both sides. The area is uninhabited.
According to local media reports, such as one by South Korea’s Dong-a Ilbo newspaper, the man is a private in the US Army, which was later confirmed by a US official who spoke to AFP on condition of anonymity.
"A U.S. National on a JSA orientation tour crossed, without authorization, the Military Demarcation Line into the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK)," the UN Command posted on Twitter.
A U.S. National on a JSA orientation tour crossed, without authorization, the Military Demarcation Line into the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK). We believe he is currently in DPRK custody and are working with our KPA counterparts to resolve this incident. pic.twitter.com/a6amvnJTuY
— United Nations Command ìœ ì—”êµ°ì‚¬ë ¹ë¶€/ìœ ì—”ì‚¬ (@UN_Command) July 18, 2023
"We believe he is currently in DPRK custody and are working with our KPA counterparts to resolve this incident," it added. The KPA refers to the DPRK's army.
Some Americans have been arrested in the past few years for allegedly illegally crossing the country from China. Although they were convicted of espionage and other anti-state acts, they were later released after the US sent high-profile missions to release them.
A US commitment
This comes the same day after White House Indo-Pacific coordinator Kurt Campbell confirmed on Tuesday that a US nuclear-armed ballistic missile submarine (SSBN) is in South Korea, marking the first time since the 1980s.
At a press briefing in Seoul, Campbell told reporters, "As we speak, an American nuclear submarine is making port in Busan today, that's the first visit of an American nuclear submarine in decades." The official was in attendance at the first Nuclear Consultative Group (NCG) discussion with South Korean officials.
With the objective of coordinating an allied nuclear response in case of a war with the DPRK, the NCG was announced during the April summit as calls were increasing in South Korea to make its own nuclear weapons - something the US opposes.
Campbell added the submarine's visit is a demonstration of the US commitment to South Korea's defense.
Member of the State Affairs Commission of the DPRK Kim Yo Jong said on Friday that unless the US ceases to carry out its "hostile policy" against the DPRK, Pyongyang will unleash "overwhelming nuclear deterrence."
The DPRK fired its latest intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) launch as an act of self-defense on Wednesday after the US violated the country's airspace several times over the week.
On July 10, the DPRK accused the United States of repeatedly violating its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) with a military spy plane. The deputy head of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, Kim Yo Jong, stated that the US plane entered the DPRK's EEZ eight times in a single day.
