UN announces start of "talks" with North Korea about missing American soldier

The United Nations Command announced Monday that "talks" had begun between the world body and Pyongyang over the American soldier, Travis King, who is believed to be detained in North Korea after entering it illegally.

"Talks have begun with the Korean People's Army through the Armistice Agreement," said Deputy Chief of the Command, Gen. Andrew Harrison, in a press statement.

He was referring to the agreement that ended hostilities in 1953 after the Korean War.

"Our main concern is the condition of Private King," the general said, stressing that the incident is still under "investigation."

General Harrison explained that the armistice agreement provides for a mechanism that allows the United Nations Command to communicate with the North Korean army.

But he refused to give more details, citing the "very sensitive nature of these negotiations."

He acknowledged that it was a "difficult and complicated situation."

The UN Command includes several nations and is led by the United States, which oversees the armistice in the Korean War.

About 27 thousand American soldiers are stationed in South Korea, the main ally of the United States in the region and which depends on Washington for its security.

Since the 1950-1953 war that ended in an armistice in the absence of a peace treaty, the two Koreas are still officially in a state of war, and the border is fortified and mined, except in Panmunjom, where the border is limited to a small concrete wall.

According to the terms of the armistice, South Korean and UN personnel are not allowed to cross the border to retrieve King.

AFP