US soldiers who crossed into North Korea, UN forces talks to resolve issue

An American who crossed the border into North Korea while touring the Joint Security Area (JSA) in Panmunjom was found to be a member of the US Forces Korea. The United Nations Command said on July 18th it believes North Korea has the man in custody and is in talks with the North Korean military to resolve the incident.

The Washington Post and Reuters reported on the same day (local time), citing multiple officials, that the Americans who crossed the Military Demarcation Line (MDL) without permission to visit North Korea while touring the Joint Security Area were military personnel. However, the United Nations Command has not released details such as the person's identity or motives. The security battalion that manages the JSA is under the control of the UN Command, so even if an incident occurs, it is supposed to report to the UN Command, not the South Korean military.

In response to the incident, the headquarters decided to suspend the Panmunjom tour for the time being. The tour was held four times a week (Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays), with 40 people at a time, including Koreans and Americans.