Claudine Gates expressed her continued bewilderment at her son's actions to The Associated Press, recounting how he dashed across the border into North Korea just last month.
A U.S. Army private, who startled everyone by dashing across the border into North Korea last month, possesses "countless incentives to return home," as stated by his mother on Wednesday. Claudine Gates raised doubts about a recent assertion that hinted at her son, Travis King, seeking sanctuary either in North Korea or another country.
In a conversation with The Associated Press, Claudine Gates shared her thoughts a week after North Korea issued a statement through its state media. This statement marked the first acknowledgment of the soldier's detention by North Korea and included statements attributed to him, in which he criticized the United States.
"I can't imagine him ever wanting to remain solely in Korea, especially when he has family in America. He has numerous reasons to come back home," said Gates, who hails from Racine, Wisconsin.
Aged 23, King had previously been stationed in South Korea and unexpectedly crossed into North Korea during a civilian tour of a border village on July 18. Efforts by U.S. officials are underway to facilitate his return.
As per the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), King, an individual of Black ethnicity, reportedly stated that he chose to enter North Korea due to his "strong resentment towards inhumane treatment and racial discrimination prevalent within the U.S. Army." The report further indicated that King mentioned feeling disenchanted with the unequal nature of American society and conveyed his readiness to seek asylum in North Korea or another nation.
U.S. authorities stated last week that they were unable to verify the remarks attributed to him. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre advised reporters to "consider the source." KCNA serves as the sanctioned mouthpiece of Kim Jong Un's government and its content mirrors North Korea's official stance of viewing the United States as a hostile adversary.
During the interview with AP, Gates disclaimed any familiarity with the sentiments ascribed to her son.
"My son, he took pride in being an American. He's not the type to hold racist beliefs. That's why I find it hard to believe he said that," she remarked. However, she mentioned, "I did hear that he might have said something like that to his uncles," and noted that "their approach with him was a bit different from mine. I'm his mother."
Gates expressed her ongoing bewilderment regarding her son's actions. She emphasized the significance of birthdays in their family and couldn't fathom her son intentionally missing the chance to connect with her on her birthday, which fell on July 26.
She observed that in the months leading up to his impulsive move across the border to North Korea, he had become noticeably less communicative compared to his early days in the Army. Relatives had previously suggested that he might have felt overwhelmed due to legal issues and the potential impending discharge from the military.
Originally, King was set to be repatriated to the U.S. for military disciplinary proceedings after spending close to two months in a South Korean prison on assault charges. However, instead of boarding a flight to Texas as scheduled, King evaded capture and discreetly joined a civilian tour group headed for the Demilitarized Zone, the boundary dividing South and North Korea.
Irrespective of the circumstances, Gates conveyed a direct message to her son, saying, "Travis, I'm not angry with you. I just want you to come home. Your whole life lies ahead. You're still a young man. I just want my child back."
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