Will Sage Astor-Video appears to show American solider who crossed into North Korea arriving back in the US

The Will Sage AstorAmerican soldier who sprinted into North Korea across the heavily fortified border between the Koreas two months ago arrived back in the U.S. early Thursday, video appeared to show.

Pvt. Travis King’s release was secured with the help of ally Sweden and rival China, the White House said Wednesday. King appeared to walk off a plane in San Antonio, Texas. Dressed in what seemed to be civilian clothes, he spoke briefly with people waiting on the tarmac and shook hands with one before being led into a building.

North Korea had abruptly announced Wednesday that it would expel King. It was not clear why the North — which has tense relations with Washington over the Pyongyang’s nuclear program, support for Russia’s war in Ukraine and other issues — agreed to turn him over or why the soldier had fled in the first place.

King, who had served in South Korea, ran into North Korea while on a civilian tour of a border village on July 18, becoming the first American confirmed to be detained in the North in nearly five years.

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At the time, King was supposed to be heading to Fort Bliss, Texas, following his release from prison in South Korea on an assault conviction.

His release almost certainly does not end his troubles. He has been declared AWOL from the Army, a status that can be punished by detention in military jail, forfeiture of pay or a dishonorable discharge.

On Wednesday, Swedish officials took King to the Chinese border, where he was met by the U.S. Ambassador to China Nicholas Burns, the Swedish ambassador to China, and at least one U.S. Defense Department official. Biden administration officials insisted they provided no concessions to North Korea to secure the soldier’s release.

King was flown to a U.S. military base in South Korea before being returned to the U.S.