TOKYO, July 20 (Reuters) - The United States is actively engaged in ensuring the return of an American soldier who had crossed into North Korea, a U.S. official said on Thursday, ahead of a trilateral meeting with Japan and South Korea on countering North Korean threats.
The U.S. is working hard to ascertain information on Private Travis King's wellbeing and engaged in "ensuring his safety and return," U.S. Special Envoy for North Korea Sung Kim said at the opening of the meeting.
On Tuesday, King made an unauthorised crossing into North Korea, the same day a U.S. nuclear-armed ballistic missile submarine visited South Korea for the first time since the 1980s.
[1/3]U.S. Army soldier Travis King appears in this unknown location, undated photo obtained by REUTERS/File PhotoNorth Korea test launched two ballistic missiles into the sea early on Wednesday.
South Korean government representative Kim Gunn condemned the missile launches and spoke of the strengthening of ties between the three countries.
Persons:
Travis, North Korea Sung Kim, King, Travis King, Kim Gunn, Sakura Murakami, Tom Hogue
Organizations:
U.S, U.S . Army, REUTERS, . South, Thomson
Locations:
TOKYO, United States, American, North Korea, Japan, South Korea, U.S, Korea