US soldier Travis King back in US after crossing into North Korea

U.S. Army Pvt. Travis King is back in the United States after he crossed into North Korea and was returned to American custody, a Defense Department official said Thursday. 

King landed at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston early Thursday morning after taking a U.S. military flight out of South Korea, the Defense official said, according to CNN. 

King spent more than a month in a South Korean prison on charges of assault and damage to a police vehicle. After his release, King was scheduled to fly back to the United States for further disciplinary proceedings in July, but instead, he crossed the border into North Korea during a civilian tour.

North Korea on Wednesday said it would expel King, and officials handed the Army private off to U.S. Ambassador to China Nicholas Burns in Dandong, China, which is connected to North Korea through the Sino-Korean Friendship Bridge.

U.S. officials took King into military custody, and he flew to another city in China before flying to Osan Air Force Base in South Korea and then to the United States.

U.S. officials said that America did not make any concessions to the communist country for King's return after the Biden administration was criticized for freeing $7 billion in assets for Iran as part of a prisoner swap with the Islamic Republic earlier this month. 

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