North Korea publicly acknowledged that U.S. soldier Travis King was in its custody for the first time in August, reporting that he sought refuge in the DPRK or a “third country” due to “inhuman maltreatment and racial discrimination within the U.S. Army.”

And while Pyongyang has yet to say more about the American who dashed across the DMZ in July, experts told NK News that he could ultimately end up in Russia or China.