U.S. servicemember detained in North Korea after crossing border

WASHINGTON — The Pentagon connected Tuesday said it was alert that a U.S. servicemember "willfully" and "without authorization" crossed the inter-Korean borderline and is presently successful North Korean custody.

U.S. authorities are moving with North Korea's subject "to resoluteness this incident," U.S. Forces Korea spokesperson Col. Isaac Taylor said successful a statement.

The idiosyncratic was touring the Joint Security Area, oregon JSA, a tract astatine Panmunjom successful the Demilitarized Zone utilized by North and South Korea for diplomatic engagements and negotiations. It is bisected by the Military Demarcation Line, besides known arsenic the Armistice Line, which acts arsenic the borderline betwixt the 2 territories. Both backstage companies and the United Nations signifier tours of the JSA.

The individuality of the servicemember volition beryllium released aft adjacent of kin are notified.

A State Department spokesperson referred questions to the Pentagon. The spokesperson said the State Department was "in interaction with counterparts astatine the Department of Defense to supply each due assistance."

The White House did not instantly respond to CNBC's petition for comment.

The U.S. and North Korea bash not presently person ceremonial diplomatic relations. The State Department advises U.S. nationals not to question to North Korea "due to the continuing superior hazard of apprehension and semipermanent detention."

The incidental takes spot connected the aforesaid time a U.S. atomic submarine visited South Korea for the archetypal clip since the 1980s, arriving astatine the larboard of Busan, according to the U.S. forces successful South Korea.