US says North Korea has not responded to attempts to discuss American soldier who ran across border

By HYUNG-JIN KIM
Associated Press

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — U.S. officials says that North Korea hasn’t responded to their attempts to discuss the American soldier who bolted across the heavily armed border. That underscores that the serviceman’s prospects for a quick release are unclear at a time of high tensions and inactive communication channels. Without mentioning the soldier, North Korea’s defense minister instead issued a veiled threat Thursday, suggesting that the docking of a nuclear-armed U.S. submarine in South Korea could be grounds for a nuclear attack by the North. North Korea has used such rhetoric before, but the latest threat could signal just how strained ties are right now. Pvt. Travis King ran into North Korea this week while on a civilian tour of a border village.