Travis King Won’t Be Declared Prisoner of War by US: Report

United States officials have declined to classify the soldier who crossed the border from South Korea to North Korea as a prisoner of war, Reuters reported Friday afternoon.

Travis King crossed the border in July, but North Korea only acknowledged it had the soldier in custody Thursday.

According to Reuters, officials who spoke with the outlet on condition of anonymity said the 23-year-old's decision to cross the border himself in civilian clothing disqualified him from POW protections.

King is still classed as an active duty officer and with the U.S. and North Korea still technically at war, as the conflict ended in an armistice and not a peace treaty, POW protections could be considered.

The official who spoke with Reuters said King's status could still be changed.

Under the Geneva Convention, prisoners of war are given strict protections, including that they "must at all times be humanely treated."

However, it is unclear how a change in status would affect how Pyongyang treats King.

King had booked a tour of the demilitarized zone through a private company after avoiding his one-way flight back to Fort Bliss, Texas when he sprinted over the border. The Pentagon said he did so “willfully and without authorization."

At a press briefing Wednesday, the Department of State's spokesperson Matthew Miller was asked about whether there had been direct communication with North Korea about King's situation.

"The outreach that we have made to North Korea through diplomatic channels has still not been answered," Miller told reporters.