Foreign media are reporting that the U.S. soldier who intentionally crossed the heavily armed inter-Korean border into North Korea on Tuesday was recently released after serving prison time in South Korea over an assault.

The U.S. Army has reportedly confirmed that the soldier who crossed the demilitarized zone(DMZ) is Private Second Class Travis King.

The New York Times quoted a U.S. official as saying that the soldier had been held on assault charges and was released recently after serving his time. He was supposed to be sent home to Fort Bliss, Texas on Monday to face additional military discipline.

He was reportedly escorted to the airport to return to Fort Bliss, but instead left and joined a civilian tour of the Joint Security Area or the border village of Panmunjeom for unknown reasons.

King was reportedly seen laughing loudly as he ran in between some buildings into the North, with the Times reporting that tour guides unsuccessfully attempted to catch him before he was taken into custody by North Korean soldiers.

[Photo : YONHAP News]