Travis King’s family begs US to ‘fight’ for return from North Korea

The family of the US soldier who inexplicably sprinted into North Korea begged American officials to “fight” for his safe return this week.

Travis King’s devastated — and bewildered — loved ones said that the US government should work as hard as possible to bring home the since-detained 23-year-old Army private because of his military service.

“When he went to the Army to fight for America, America should fight for him, fight for him to come home,” his uncle Myron Gates told NBC News.

His sister Jaqueda Gates added: “At the end of the day, I just feel like it should be no men left behind.”

US officials said Monday that they were working to contact North Korea through the United Nations, but the militant country has refused to respond with any information or comment on the baffling defection.

King’s fate — and reason for bolting — has remained unknown in the week since he was likely detained after crossing into the militant country on July 18.

He had been serving in South Korea when he ditched the tour group of the demilitarized zone between the two countries and sprinted across the border.

King was supposed to be at the airport awaiting a flight to Texas before making the final trip home when he escaped.

He was facing military disciplinary charges — as well as a dishonorable discharge — back in the US from his stint serving in South Korea and had served time at a prison in the country over assault charges.

King’s sister theorizes King may have defected as a last-ditch effort to hide from something.

“I just feel like the story is way deeper than what I can imagine. I just feel, deep down in my heart, my brother was afraid of something because why would he run? What was his point if he was coming home?” Gates told NBC.

“My brother, he’s not the type to get into trouble like that. It all just sounds made up.”

According to Gates, King had been telling his family how excited he was to return home in the days before the mystifying defection.

“It sounds like a suicide attempt, because why would he run to our enemies? But we know it wasn’t.” 

King’s mother, Claudine Gates, had also previously said the risky behavior was unlike her son.

The distressed mom was reportedly confronted by police at a Mt. Pleasant hotel Tuesday night and placed on a medical hold after barricading the door and flooding the room.

“She’s emotionally distressed right now,” said Myron Gates.

“She’s an emotional wreck right now.”

Though family members cannot come up with a fully fleshed-out theory, the Army private showed numerous signs that he might one day make what US officials have called a “deliberate decision” to defect.

He reportedly told fellow soldiers last year that he “refused to return to post or America” after skipping out on his daily formation.

Weeks later, he was jailed for brawling inside a South Korean club.

The soldier previously had been fined roughly $3,950 for damaging a South Korean police car.