Travis King, US soldier, confirmed as being held in North Korea after defecting during border village tour

Seoul: North Korea says an American soldier who bolted into the North across the heavily armed Korean border last month did so after being disillusioned with the inequality of American society.

It’s North Korea’s first official confirmation of detention of Private 2nd Class Travis King, who entered the North while on a tour of a Korean border village on July 18. He became the first American detained in the North in nearly five years.

The North’s official Korean Central News Agency said King told investigators that he had decided to enter the country because he “harboured ill feeling against inhuman mistreatment and racial discrimination within the US Army”.

It said King also expressed his willingness to seek refuge in North Korea or a third country, saying he “was disillusioned at the unequal American society”.

Analysts earlier said North Korea might try to use King’s case to wrest concessions from Washington, such as tying his release to the US cutting back its military activities with South Korea.

King’s border crossing came amid heightened animosities on the Korean Peninsula. North Korea has conducted more than 100 weapons tests since the beginning of last year, prompting the US to expand its military drills with South Korea. North Korea views US-South Korean military training as an invasion rehearsal.

King was supposed to be heading to Fort Bliss, Texas, following his release from prison in South Korea on an assault conviction arising from a fight.

According to US officials, King – who chose to serve his time at a labour camp rather than pay the nearly $US4.000 fine ($6200) — has been declared AWOL. The punishment for being away without leave can include confinement in the brig, forfeiture of pay or dishonourable discharge and it is largely based on how long they were away and whether they were apprehended or returned on their own.