US Soldier Detained by North Korea for Crossing Border

A US soldier has been detained by North Korea after crossing the Military Demarcation Line separating the country from South Korea. The soldier, who was on a joint security area orientation tour, crossed into North Korean territory without authorization. The US military is conducting a full investigation, and the State Department advises against travel to North Korea due to the risk of arrest and long-term detention of US nationals. Cases of defection to North Korea are rare, but thousands of North Koreans have fled to South Korea since the Korean War.