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Mom of US soldier Travis King who defected to North Korea can’t imagine son ‘doing anything like that’
The New York Post ^ | 07/19/2023 | Allie Griffin

Posted on 07/18/2023 10:19:36 PM PDT by thegagline

The mother of the US soldier who has been detained in North Korea after crossing into the country without authorization said the risky behavior was unlike her son.

The 23-year-old Army private, Travis King, was stationed in South Korea and was on a tour of the demilitarized zone between the two countries Tuesday when he strayed from the group and ran across the border.

“I can’t see Travis doing anything like that,” Claudine Gates, of Racine, Wisconsin, told ABC News.

She said she last spoke to her son a few days ago and just wanted him to come home.

King was facing military disciplinary charges while stationed in South Korea after having served time at a prison in the country over assault charges. He was supposed to fly back to the US and was escorted by military personnel to the airport but he left past the security checkpoint and skipped his flight.

Instead, he joined the tour of the Joint Security Area in the demilitarized zone.

Another tourist on the tour, Mikaela Johansson of Sweden, claimed King loudly laughed as he ran between two buildings into the Hermit Kingdom.

US officials said King, a private second class who has served in the Army for approximately two years, “deliberately” crossed the border into the closed-off and secretive country.

(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: assault; awol; defection; defector; desertion; korea; military; travisking
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I wonder how many North Korean spies and arms merchants the Biden administration will exchange for this piece of garbage.


1 posted on 07/18/2023 10:19:36 PM PDT by thegagline
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To: thegagline

Hope the guy makes it out okay, if he wants to.

Not sure what’s going on here.


2 posted on 07/18/2023 10:21:04 PM PDT by DoughtyOne (I pledge allegiance to the flag of the USofA & to the Constitutional REPUBLIC for which it stands.)
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To: thegagline

The poor kid has a few screws loose. I feel sorry for his mom — she’s got to be absolutely frantic with worry.


3 posted on 07/18/2023 10:23:46 PM PDT by ProtectOurFreedom (I don’t like to think before I say something...I want to be just as surprised as everyone else.)
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To: thegagline

If a draft was happening now, I suspect this guy would not have even passed the tests to get in. He seems to make really bad judgement calls frequently.


4 posted on 07/18/2023 10:26:22 PM PDT by lee martell
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To: thegagline

He was such a good boy and always wanted to be an army rapper said his mother


5 posted on 07/18/2023 10:30:08 PM PDT by NWFree (Sigma male 🤪)
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To: lee martell

But he is the right color to excel in the military today. In today’s Military being the right color is all that is required. There is no limit how far he can go.


6 posted on 07/18/2023 10:31:18 PM PDT by sport
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To: thegagline
Drugs and the Korean DMZ don't mix. Why do you think they call it "dope"?

7 posted on 07/18/2023 10:45:10 PM PDT by Governor Dinwiddie (LORD, grant thy people grace to withstand the temptations of the world, the flesh, and the devil.)
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To: thegagline

Some guys will do anything to date an Asian


8 posted on 07/18/2023 10:45:56 PM PDT by struggle
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To: thegagline

If he is only an E-2 after being in two years there is something else going on...


9 posted on 07/18/2023 10:47:35 PM PDT by montanajoe ( )
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To: thegagline

“crossed” vs “defected”

Alrighty then. Call me when I have a reason to care and they get their story straight.


10 posted on 07/18/2023 10:48:01 PM PDT by logi_cal869 (-cynicus the "concern troll" a/o 10/03/2018 /!i!! &@$%&*(@ -)
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To: thegagline

I feel bad for him and his family.


11 posted on 07/18/2023 10:49:54 PM PDT by PghBaldy (12/14/12 - 930am -rampage begins... 12/15/12 - 1030am - Obama team scouts photo-op locations.)
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To: thegagline

Looks like Obamas son.


12 posted on 07/18/2023 10:51:15 PM PDT by HighSierra5 (The only way you know a commie is lying is when they open their pieholes.)
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To: thegagline
Mom of US soldier Travis King who defected to North Korea can’t imagine son ‘doing anything like that’

Well, lucky for her - she doesn't have to imagine it, since her son went ahead and did it.

Probably a nut case, but if he has any semblance of sanity left in him he'll eventually come back with a healthy sense of appreciation for America. Time in foreign prisons under foreign systems of law tends to bring that out in a person - just ask Britney Griner.
13 posted on 07/18/2023 10:55:52 PM PDT by AnotherUnixGeek
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To: NWFree

He done always hep his Gramma carry in de groc’ries.

/s

Ebonics never wuz an never willbe my second language.


14 posted on 07/18/2023 10:57:44 PM PDT by lightman (I am a binary Trinitarian. Deal with it!)
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To: DoughtyOne

Remembering Otto Warmbier.

I’m glad that he had a faith. May he rest in peace.


15 posted on 07/18/2023 11:00:38 PM PDT by BarbM (Men who look at porn are impotent for God.)
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To: thegagline

1) The U.S. armed forces used to deal with the bad conduct of their own and not allow service members to serve time in foreign jails or prisons, including for crimes against host nation citizens. The United States has a status of forces agreement (SOFA) with the ROKs; King should have been handed over immediately to U.S. military authorities for NJP or court martial.
.
2) Getting the miscreant service member out of country immediately and under close guard until delivered to a disciplinary barracks or brig should be SOP. Dropping off the soldier at an airport and on own his own is beyond stupid.
.
3) Countries such as South Korea, Germany, and Japan with a significant U.S. military presence have been treating service members badly for a long time now. The Japs have a U.S. Naval officer in prison because he experienced a medical emergency while driving and accidentally killed two pedestrians after he lost consciousness. The U.S. administration must grow a spine and stand up to these morons whose asses we’ve kicked and whose bacon we now protect at great cost to the American taxpayer.
.
4) Are things so bad in Biden’s woke military that a soldier would rather defect to the Norks than serve in the perv Army?


16 posted on 07/18/2023 11:01:34 PM PDT by twister881
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To: thegagline

Is his hat on inside-out ?


17 posted on 07/18/2023 11:10:01 PM PDT by PLMerite ("They say that we were Cold Warriors. Yes, and a bloody good show, too." - Robert Conquest )
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To: montanajoe

I was thinking the same thing.

Can we trade that doper basketball dude for him, though?

That might work.


18 posted on 07/18/2023 11:20:16 PM PDT by SaveFerris (Luke 17:28 ... as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold ......)
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To: BarbM

Yeah, I’d hate to think this will wind up a repeat.

We’ll have to see this play out before we can say what the
heck is going on here.

Boy the Norks don’t play around, and if this guy thought he
was going to get decent treatment out of them, look out!


19 posted on 07/18/2023 11:23:37 PM PDT by DoughtyOne (I pledge allegiance to the flag of the USofA & to the Constitutional REPUBLIC for which it stands.)
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To: ProtectOurFreedom

His mom might be worried.....

But what about daddy?

Nevermind


20 posted on 07/18/2023 11:27:12 PM PDT by Jaysin (Trump can’t be beat, unless the democrats cheat)
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