North Korean authorities have confirmed that an American soldier Travis Kingillegally crossed the border in mid-July, is in the country and asked for asylum for “abuse” and “discrimination” the US army.

“There was an incident in the Panmunjom Demilitarized Zone (…) in which Travis King, US Army Private Second Class in South Korea, illegally entered North Korea. (…) The king, who was escorting tourists to the Phanmunjom joint security zone, was taken under control by Korean People’s Army soldiers on duty in a deliberate breach into the area on the North Korean side,” said a statement released by North Korea. Korean news agency KCNA.

According to the country’s authorities, King admitted that his entry into the country was illegal and that he decided to do it on his own. “resentment of inhuman treatment and racial discrimination” practiced by the US Army, as well as his disillusionment with the “unequal” society of the United States.

Based on this, the soldier would express his desire to seek asylum in North Korea or in a third country.

King crossed the military demarcation line as a civilian the day before his scheduled return to the United States, where should be subject to disciplinary action due to his bad behavior during his business trip to South Korea, where he was detained for several days.