American soldier Travis King remained in North Korean custody on Tuesday two weeks after he crossed the inter-Korean border, raising questions about his fate after the failure to secure his immediate return.

Pvt. King “wilfully” crossed the Military Demarcation Line (MDL) separating the two Koreas during a tour of Panmunjom on July 18 in an apparent bid to escape disciplinary action, and authorities have sought to ascertain his safety and begin negotiations for his release.

But while experts initially predictedNorth Korea would not see much reason to keep the American, Pyongyang’s prolonged silence has now led some to assess