NO GOING BACK

Soldier Who Fled to North Korea Said He Wouldn’t Return to the U.S. Last Year: Report

He allegedly made his declaration after refusing to report for muster.

The U.S Army soldier who triggered an international incident when he fled to North Korea this week said last year that he would “not return to post or to America,” according to a report. Army documents seen by The Messenger detail Private Travis King’s disciplinary and legal issues in the lead up to his run across the border on Tuesday. In one incident, on Sept. 4, 2022, King allegedly failed to report to an accountability formation—a military muster used to verify that troops are present and ready to begin the day. The documents reportedly show that King, now 23, said “refused to return to post or America” and said he was in the South Korean city of Uijeongbu. As of Thursday, Washington, D.C., had been unable to establish contact with Pyongyang about King’s case.