"Forgotten Heroes: The Brave U.S. Soldiers Who Ventured into North Korea Preceding Travis King"

Pvt. 2nd Class Travis King is reportedly being held in North Korea after crossing the border, becoming the first American service member to do so in over four decades. Several American soldiers and civilians have defected to North Korea since the Korean War, with some being used for propaganda purposes. Motivations for defection vary, including disciplinary issues, personal problems, or impulsive decisions. The last known case of an American soldier defecting to North Korea was in 1982.