Family of Missing U.S. Solder Who Crossed Into North Korea Says He’s ‘Not The Type To Just Disappear’

It’s been a few weeks since U.S. Army Pvt. Travis King crossed the border into the heavily restricted North Korea, and now his family is looking for answers.

King’s family says there is no reason for King to step away from his military duties or to “disappear,” CNN reports. His sister, Jaqueda Gates, says they still haven’t received any information on her brother’s whereabouts, leaving the family curious if there is more to the story. “So, that’s why I feel like the story is deeper than that,” Gates said. “I don’t believe that you just vanished and ran away.”

Myron Gates, King’s uncle, claims the family has contacted numerous dignitaries and the Biden administration but hasn’t heard anything back. The only support they have received is from the family of Otto Warmbier, a U.S. college student who was held captive in North Korea for 17 months after visiting in 2016. He died a week later after returning to the United States.

King disappeared in July after he “willfully and without authorization” crossed into North Korea while joining a group of tourists viewing the Joint Security Area, the small group of buildings that separate North and South Korea. King is said to be the first U.S. soldier to cross into the country since 1982. His disappearance has taken a serious toll on the well-being of his family, especially their mother. Gates says it’s been hard to sleep without any updates.

To make matters worse, Gates mentioned that the last time she heard from her brother was on Jul. 15, three days before he crossed the border, according to the Daily Beast. She described the messages she got from him as “weird” and things her brother wouldn’t normally say, leading her to believe she wasn’t talking to her brother in the first place. “Me personally, I don’t believe that’s really him talking to me on messenger,” Gates said. “There’s a lot of reasons why. I know my brother. He’s not the type to just disappear.”