The fate of Private King, who returned to the United States after the scandalous escape to the DPRK, was in the fog.

American soldier Travis King, who fled to North Korea in July, has returned to the United States. According to CNN, he was taken into custody. King’s return to his homeland is a whole special operation that became possible after the “intensive diplomacy” of Sweden, the USA and… China.

“The US government successfully facilitated the departure of Private Travis King from the DPRK. His transfer is the culmination of a months-long effort involving multiple US government agencies, undertaken out of concern for the well-being of Private King and the desire to reunite him with his family,” were the first emotions of a senior US official upon the return of the soldier who had fled to the DPRK.

In a statement Wednesday, Pentagon spokesman Brigadier General Pat Ryder thanked the U.S. Army, U.S. Forces Korea and the Department of Defense for efforts to bring King home, as well as the governments of China and Sweden “for their assistance.”

According to CNN, earlier this month the United States received word from Sweden (that country acts as the US protective force in North Korea) that Pyongyang wants to release King. The representative of the Swedish embassy, ​​David Lunderquist, confirmed that Sweden played an important role in this event.

Another US official added that China’s role was limited to assisting in King’s expulsion from North Korea, but otherwise Beijing “did not play a mediating role.”

It is noted that King’s release represents a rare diplomatic success in relations between the United States and North Korea. And society had a question: “Isn’t this a sign of concessions on the part of the United States?” An unnamed American official dispelled speculation by saying clearly: “No.”

Pyongyang did not provide a detailed explanation for its actions (as is traditional). A brief report by the official Korean Central News Agency said King admitted to entering the North illegally because he harbored “dislike for inhumane treatment and racial discrimination” in the U.S. military and was “disillusioned with the inequality in American society.” That’s all for the North Korean side.

The Associated Press speculated that the North may simply have decided that King was more trouble than he was worth. Analysts say the 23-year-old’s legal troubles could limit his propaganda value. When he crossed the border in July, King was en route to Fort Bliss, Texas, following his release from prison in South Korea on assault charges. As a low-ranking soldier, King was clearly not a significant source of military information.

Pyongyang probably also did not want to wait out protracted negotiations with the United States. Given the long diplomatic freeze, it is unlikely that any gain will be worth delaying his detention. Some foreign experts believe that Pyongyang’s actions once again emphasized the DPRK’s declining interest in diplomacy with Washington, but King would only add to the hassle.

By the way, an interesting fact: exactly after the story of King’s return, the DPRK enshrined in its constitution a policy of building up nuclear forces. During a meeting of the Supreme People’s Assembly, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un said that Pyongyang needs nuclear weapons for self-defense against the backdrop of a long-term confrontation with the United States and its allies.

On the one hand, this emphasized North Korea’s attitude towards the United States (there is no sign of concessions here). On the other hand, after an act of “intensive diplomacy”, such a move by Pyongyang also seems no coincidence.

King’s further fate remains unknown. All that is known so far is that he is in custody. CNN emphasized that it is unclear whether King could face additional disciplinary action from the military, face a court martial, or anything similar.

One US official said the focus in the next few weeks would be on King’s health: “We will consider any administrative actions that may follow the reintegration process.”

The official added that the Army’s focus is on having a “very talented and experienced team” evaluate King and address “any medical and emotional issues.”

In general, as Reuters notes, King had no problems with the law before being sent to Seoul. He spent the last 48 days in the guardhouse for brawling in local nightclubs, and on September 25, 2022, the American hit a visitor in the face. A little later he entered the fight again, but in October. And he hit the poor guy in the face again. For this, King was placed in a South Korean detention center.

The day before arriving in North Korea, King was scheduled to board a flight to Texas, where he faced disciplinary action. But after an army convoy released him at a checkpoint at Incheon International Airport near Seoul, King left the airport on his own.

The next day, he joined a tour of the Joint Security Area (JSA). There is no physical barrier there, and therefore King crossed the demarcation zone and tried to penetrate the North Korean facility. Only the door was locked. In general, American officials have yet to understand all these facts. And it seems we will hear a lot more about King himself.