The United States says it is committed to freeing an American soldier who fled to North Korea, and declined to comment on remarks attributed to him by Pyongyang that he fled "racial discrimination" in the US Army.
In North Korea's first comments on last month's crossing of Travis King, state media said that the soldier, who is black, wants refuge there because of "inhuman maltreatment and racial discrimination within the US Army".
A State Department spokesperson said the US government "can't verify the comments attributed to Private King."
"We remain focused on his safe return," the spokesperson said.
"The Department's priority is to bring Private King home, and we are working through all available channels to achieve that outcome."
The United States has previously said that Pte King crossed the border at the Joint Security Area in the Demilitarized Zone separating the North and the South "willfully and without authorization."
North Korean propaganda often highlights racism in the United States.
Pte King had been held by South Korean authorities over assault and was set to be returned to the US, where he could have faced military discipline.
The private crossed into North Korea while on a civilian tour of the Joint Security Area (JSA) on the heavily fortified border between the two Koreas.
US officials have said they believe Pte King crossed the border intentionally and have declined so far to classify him as a prisoner of war (POW).
North Korean investigators have also concluded that Pte King crossed deliberately and illegally, with the intent to stay in North Korea or in a third country, state news agency KCNA said.
"During the investigation, Travis King confessed that he had decided to come over to the DPRK as he harboured ill feeling against inhuman maltreatment and racial discrimination within the US Army," KCNA reported, using the initials of North Korea's official name.
"He also expressed his willingness to seek refuge in the DPRK or a third country, saying that he was disillusioned at the unequal American society," it added.
KCNA said Pte King was "kept under control by soldiers of the Korean People's Army" after his crossing and the investigation is still active.
Pte King's uncle, Myron Gates, told ABC News earlier this month that his nephew was experiencing racism during his military deployment and after he spent time in a South Korean jail, he did not sound like himself.
The KCNA report comes as North Korean officials cite racism and other social problems in the United States to push back against US criticism, including a United Nations Security Council meeting to discuss human rights in North Korea tomorrow.
US officials have said that North Korea had not provided substantive responses to their requests for information on Pte King.
A spokesman for the United Nations Command (UNC), which oversees the border village where Pte King crossed, said he did not have anything to add to previous statements.
How to classify the 23-year-old has been an open question for the US military.
As an active-duty soldier he might appear to qualify as a POW, given that the United States and North Korea technically remain at war.
The 1950-53 Korean War ended in an armistice rather than a peace treaty.
The Korean Peninsula technically remains at war with the UNC providing oversight for the armistice.
Factors including Private King's decision to cross into North Korea of his own free will, in civilian attire, appear to have disqualified him from POW status, US officials have said.
Pte King, who joined the US Army in January 2021, is a Cavalry Scout with the Korean Rotational Force, which is part of the US security commitment to South Korea.
However, he faced numerous legal troubles during his posting.
He faced two allegations of assault in South Korea, and eventually pleaded guilty to one instance of assault and destroying public property for damaging a police car during a profanity-laced tirade against Koreans, according to court documents.
He was due to face more disciplinary measures when he arrived back in the United States.
Pte King had finished serving military detention and had been transported by the US military to the airport to return to his home unit in the United States.
Instead, he left the airport, joined a tour of the border area, where he ran across despite attempts by South Korean and US guards to stop him.
