North Korea detained a U.S. soldier who intentionally crossed the border from South Korea, according to the American military.
“A service member on an orientation tour willfully and without authorization crossed the Military Demarcation Line into the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea,” Colonel Isaac Taylor, an Army spokesman, said in a statement Tuesday. “We believe he is currently in DPRK custody.” He said the U.S. military is working with its North Korean counterparts “to resolve this incident.”
A U.S. official said the soldier was a private, a low rank. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive matter. No other information was immediately provided on the soldier’s identity or motive.
The White House didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
Although South Korean and U.S. soldiers keep a close eye on those who visit, the border between the Koreas in the Joint Security Area in the Panmunjom so-called truce village is marked only a few inches off the ground and easy to cross.
The North Korean military presence has dropped significantly in the JSA since the pandemic started.
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(With assistance from Jon Herskovitz)
