CNN reportsTravis King, a young, black US enlisted soldier stationed in South Korea, got in trouble with the law a couple of times. He had just completed a 50 day hard labor sentence for drunken brawling.
He was scheduled to return to the states where he would be separated from the Army. His discharge would probably be something other than honorable, perhaps a BCD or bad conduct discharge.
At the airport he eluded his escorts (MPs?) and didn't board the plane. Instead he changed into civilian clothes, and took a group tour to the DMZ.
At the DMZ he dashed across the border into North Korea and was there taken into custody. His apparent intent was to seek asylum in NK.
From North Korea there has been no response to inquiries. I imagine NK is trying to figure out if he is a useful defector or merely a troubled young man who will be a problem wherever he is.
