U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the U.S. is very concerned about the well-being of Private Second Class Travis King who crossed the border into North Korea earlier this week.

Speaking at the Aspen Security Forum in Aspen, Colorado on Friday, the top diplomat said the U.S. would like to know his whereabouts and it has communicated to North Korea, seeking that information but there is no further information to share at this point.  

When asked about concerns of torture in light of the tragedy of Otto Warmbier, Blinken said there are certainly concerns based on what the U.S.  has seen in the past and the way North Korea has treated those it has detained.

Pyongyang in 2016 detained Warmbier, an American student and tourist, on charges of espionage. He was released 18 months later in a vegetative state, and died six days after his return to the U.S.

When asked when Washington last had any communications with the North as the regime rapidly increases its missile and nuclear program and violates multiple UN resolutions, the secretary said there are channels of communication and the U.S. has used them. 

He said it also made clear early in the Biden administration that it is ready for negotiations with North Korea on the nuclear program with no preconditions and that message was sent several times.  

Blinken said the response the U.S. received however was "one missile launch after another." 

Still, he added this has only served to strengthen Washington’s partnership and alliance with Seoul and Tokyo, and it has taken further steps to make sure it could defend itself and its allies and partners and deter any aggression coming from the North.