North Korea has finally confirmed that US soldier Travis King is being detained in the country — nearly a month after he ran across the border.

 

King told North Korean investigators that he had decided to enter North Korea because he “harbored ill feelings against inhuman mistreatment and racial discrimination within the US Army,” officials said.

 

The 23-year-old also expressed his willingness to seek refuge in North Korea or a third country, saying he “was disillusioned at the unequal American society,” the North Korean official news agency, KCN, said in a statement.

 

The statement has so far only been published by KCNA.

 

Concerns have been growing for the welfare of the US soldier, who has not been heard from or seen since his crossing.

 

The US is trying to negotiate Private King’s release with the help of the UN Command, which runs the border area, and has a direct phoneline to the North Korean army.

 

Responding to the North Korean report on Wednesday, a Pentagon official said their priority was to have Private King brought home safely “through all available channels”.