In a significant development, North Korea has finally responded to messages regarding U.S. Army Private 2nd Class Travis King, who crossed the heavily guarded border into North Korea on July 18. The Pentagon confirmed that North Korea has acknowledged the United Nations Command's request for information about King but did not provide any substantial details about him. Pentagon spokesperson Brigadier General Patrick Ryder stated during a press conference that the response from North Korea was merely an acknowledgement of the inquiry.

Travis King, 23, had been serving as a cavalry scout in the U.S. Army since January 2021 as part of the Korean Rotational Force, a commitment to South Korea's security. However, his time in the Army was marred by legal troubles. King faced allegations of assault in South Korea and eventually pleaded guilty to one instance of assault and destroying public property. He served a sentence of hard labor at the Cheonan correctional facility from May 24 to July 10, instead of paying a fine. After his release, he spent a week at a U.S. base in South Korea.

Following his release, King was scheduled to return to Fort Bliss, Texas, where he was likely to face military disciplinary action. However, instead of boarding his flight, King left the airport and joined a tour of the demilitarized zone (DMZ), the heavily fortified area separating North Korea from South Korea. Breaking away from the group, he "willfully and without authorization crossed the military demarcation line," as stated by Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin two days after the incident. On the North Korean side, King was driven away in a van and is believed to have been taken to the capital city, Pyongyang.

The U.S. officials expressed deep concern over King's fate in North Korea, citing the case of Otto Warmbier, a U.S. college student who was imprisoned in North Korea for 17 months and died shortly after his return to the United States in a coma in 2017.

The U.S. had been waiting for North Korea's response for weeks and had communicated through established channels. The Pentagon used these channels at the United Nations Command to make inquiries about King. While the North Korean response was superficial, it marks the first public acknowledgment of Pyongyang's response to King's situation. Ryder emphasized that there was no substantial progress to report at the moment.

The Army, along with U.S. Forces Korea, is conducting a joint investigation into King's actions, with Army counter-intelligence involved in the process. The U.S. officials remain concerned about King's wellbeing and continue to monitor the situation closely.