Travis King Is in American Custody , After Being Detained in North Korea. U.S. Army Private Travis King crossed the military demarcation line between South Korea and North Korea in July. Prior to entering North Korea, King was charged with assault in South Korea and was scheduled to return to Texas' Fort Bliss to be removed from the Army. . On Sept. 27, King was released to U.S. custody in China, Fox News reports. The relevant organ of the DPRK decided to expel Travis King, a soldier of the U.S. Army who illegally intruded into the territory of the DPRK, under the law of the Republic, Via state media outlet Korean Central News Agency. North Korea also said that King “confessed that he illegally intruded into the territory of the DPRK as he harbored ill feeling against inhuman maltreatment and racial discrimination within the U.S. Army and was disillusioned about the unequal U.S. society.”. The National Security Council (NSC) confirmed that King has been returned. . [The NSC] are very pleased to announce this morning — although events are still ongoing — that the U.S. government has successfully facilitated Private Travis King's departure from the DPRK, NSC Senior Director for East Asia and Oceania Mira Cooper, via statement. His transfer culminates a months-long effort involving multiple U.S. government agencies undertaken out of concern for Private King's well-being and a desire to reunite him with his family, NSC Senior Director for East Asia and Oceania Mira Cooper, via statement. King is said to be in good health, Fox News reports.