Analysts said discussions over the soldier's fate could see some of the first diplomatic engagement between North Korea and the United States in years.
"I do not think North Korea views the latest incident as strong leverage or an opportunity to engage the U.S.," she said.
"North Korea knows that the U.S. government is unlikely to change its North Korea policy or its commitment to U.S. extended deterrence because of one U.S. soldier who reportedly faced disciplinary action and wilfully crossed into North Korea."
"Their conditions are better not only than the average North Korean prisoner, but of the average North Korean citizen."
North Korean border guards fatally shot and burned the body of a South Korean fisheries official in 2020, and later leader Kim Jong Un ordered an entire city into lockdown when a North Korean crossed back into the country from the South.
Persons:
Travis King, King, Andrei Lankov, Rachel Minyoung Lee, Tae Yong, Tae, Lankov, Otto Warmbier, Kim Jong Un, Josh Smith, David Brunnstrom, Hyonhee, Angus MacSwan
Organizations:
U.S, Army, Security Area, North, Korea Risk, Stimson, Korean, Thomson
Locations:
SEOUL, North Korea, U.S, North Korean, Pyongyang, ., United States, Seoul, Korea, Korea's, American, Korean, Washington