Travis King

Travis Travale King is a United States Army soldier known for crossing over the Military Demarcation Line in the Joint Security Area (JSA) into North Korea on July 18, 2023, while on a civilian tour of the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). He was 23 years old at the time of his crossing into North Korea.

King was facing dishonorable discharge and additional disciplinary actions from the United States Army due to legal charges in South Korea, where he was stationed at the time of crossing, as well as other cases of misconduct, insubordination, assault, attempted escape from U.S. military custody, and possession of child pornography, which may have prompted his crossing. However, North Korean authorities asserted that King fled after becoming "disillusioned with the inequality of American society and racial discrimination in its Army."

King was detained by North Korea on July 18, 2023, and was released on September 27, 2023, back to U.S. authorities. King was the first known detention of a U.S. national by North Korea since Bruce Byron Lowrance in November 2018. Provided by Wikipedia