U.N. talking with North Korea about fate of Travis King, American soldier who defected

Seoul, South Korea — The deputy commander of the U.N. Command said Monday it has started conversations with North Korea over an American soldier who ran into the North last week across the Koreas' heavily armed border.

Gen. Andrew Harrison said the process has started through communications lines set up at the Joint Security Area between the Koreas under the armistice agreement that stopped the fighting of the 1950-53 Korean War. He said the well-being of Pvt. Travis King remains the command's primary concern but refused to provide more details, citing the sensitivity of the discussions.

North Korea has remained publicly silent about King, who crossed the border last Tuesday while he was supposed to be heading to Fort Bliss, Texas.