Image source, Young Pioneer Tours

It is one of the world's most heavily fortified areas, a no-man's land that stands as a remnant of the Cold War. It is also a tourist magnet.

From Gyeonggi-do in the west to Gangwon-do in the east, the 160-mile (258km) long Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) divides the Korean Peninsula in two.

And in the truce village of Panmunjom, where a concrete slab signifies that split, tour groups flock daily.

Some 1.2 million people visit each year, the Korea Tourism Authority says.

The tours take place under tight military scrutiny, with South Korean soldiers in a taekwondo stance - legs wide, arms at the ready - and North Korean troops keeping a watchful eye, as well as the United Nations Command actively patrolling the area.

Read more here.

The BBC's Sumi Somaskanda explains how Private King crossed into North Korea "wilfully and without authorisation".

Lee Sung-Yoon, a North Korea specialist and a fellow at the Woodrow Wilson International Center in Washington DC, has been speaking to BBC's Newshour about the story.

He calls it a small propaganda victory for North Korea because while the soldier apparently bolted across the border of his own volition, he is of a low rank in the military and will have limited intelligence value to offer.

Lee also believes the US authorities will do their best to fight for his release: “A willing deserter renders the imperatives of a humanitarian rescue by the US much less than those for a hostage – still, the US will seek to investigate the case and win his release, because that’s the right thing to do.”

Image source, EPA

Questions are multiplying about the US soldier who's being held in North Korea.

The crisis comes during a particularly tense time with the North, one of the world's most isolated states. US citizens are advised not to go there.

And the situation could prove tricky for US President Joe Biden's administration after recent escalating tensions on the Korean peninsula have become more of a foreign policy priority.

Read our detailed guide on everything we know about the soldier's situation here.

Good morning to our readers logging on from Oceania and Asia - it's been an eventful few hours as more details come in about the US soldier who crossed into North Korea. Here's a wrap of everything we know so far:

• The soldier being held in North Korea after crossing the border from South Korea without authorisation has been named as Travis King.
• He was reportedly in the process of being transported back to the US for disciplinary reasons before he gave his escort the slip at an airport and managed to join a Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) border tour
• The US state and defence departments have said that during the tour he crossed the border "wilfully, of his own volition", but did not say he defected
• Officials are trying to notify the soldier's next of kin, the White House said
• The Pentagon says it is concerned for the soldier's welfare and is "closely monitoring and investigating the situation"
• A senior commander said there had been no contact with the soldier since he crossed into the North
• The incident is being investigated by US Forces Korea
• Hours after the soldier's detention, North Korea launched two suspected ballistic missiles into the nearby sea.

Image source, EPA

We're pausing our live coverage of the US soldier who crossed the North Korea border without authorisation.

The incident started when Travis King was being escorted back to the US, reportedly for disciplinary reasons. But he left the airport and made his way to a tour of the DMZ.

That's where a witness says King ran across the border.

The US State and Defense Departments have said he crossed the border "wilfully, of his own volition", but did not say King defected.

It comes amid flaring tensions between the United States and North Korea, compounded by a wave of ballistic missile tests launched by Pyongyang.

You can read more about the US soldier detained in North Korea here.

This page was written by Sam Cabral, Madeline Halpert, Emily Atkinson, Nadine Yousif, Krystyna Gajda and Ali Abbas Ahmadi. It was edited by Gareth Evans, Marianna Brady and Brandon Livesay.

We have received some more information about the US soldier being held in North Korea.

Army spokesperson Bryce Dubee confirms that Travis King has held the rank of Private Second Class from January 2021 to present and he is a cavalry scout.

• Among his awards are the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Defense Service Medal and Overseas Service Ribbon
• He started his time in Korea with the 6th Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, and 1st Armored Division
• He's currently administratively attached to the 1st Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division

There are more details emerging about Travis King's time in South Korea as a private in the US Army.

According to what US officials told CBS News, King had recently spent time at a detention facility in South Korea.

A week ago, he was released to Camp Humphreys - an army base in South Korea - for out-processing.

He was headed back to the US for separation from the Army. He was then escorted to the Incheon airport, said goodbye to his escort at customs, but did not get on the plane, CBS reports.

He somehow managed to make his way out of the air terminal and up to the DMZ, about 34 miles (54km) from the airport.

Meanwhile, North Korea has launched a suspected ballistic missile, according to military officials in South Korea.

The missile was fired into the East Sea, also known as the Sea of Japan, Yonhap news agency reported, citing South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff.

More detail on this as it comes in.

You've likely noticed that acronyms have been peppered throughout our coverage as we describe the situation surrounding the detainment of a US soldier in North Korea.

We figured it would be helpful to spell out these acronyms, as you're bound to see them again in our reporting.

Here is a quick breakdown:

• DMZ: the Demilitarised Zone between North and South Korea. It is known as one of the most dangerous places in the world - filled with landmines and barbed wire - and is monitored by guards from both sides 24 hours a day
• JSA: the Joint Security Area located within the DMZ. It is the only site where soldiers from both sides stand face-to-face, in the presence of the United Nations Command
• UNC: the United Nations Command, which keeps a permanent presence in the JSA to maintain armistice and facilitate negotiations between North and South Korea
• USFK: the United States Forces Korea is the command representing more than 20,000 US soldiers based in South Korea, headquartered in Pyeongtaek
• KPA: the Korean People's Army is the military of North Korea, led by its commander and the country's leader Kim Jong Un
• DPRK: the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, the official name of the country of North Korea

Image source, Reuters

• A US soldier is being held in North Korea after crossing the border from South Korea without authorisation
• He was reportedly in the process of being transported back to the US for disciplinary reasons before he turned around at the airport and joined a Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) border tour
• The US State and Defense Departments have said that during the tour he crossed the border "wilfully, of his own volition", but did not say he defected
• Officials are trying to notify the soldier's next of kin, the White House said
• Meanwhile multiple news outlets have reported that the man's name is Travis King, with the rank of private second class in the US Army
• The Pentagon says it is concerned for the soldier's welfare and is "closely monitoring and investigating the situation"

The State Department briefing has now come to a close.

As with the earlier press conference at the Pentagon, there was just a single round of questioning about the US soldier who crossed into North Korea.

State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said it was clear the soldier had crossed the border "wilfully of his own volition", but did not say if this was a defection.

He also said that while the State Department had not been in touch with North Korea, it was his understanding the Pentagon had made contact.

Miller said he was not aware of any US government contact with China.

Matthew Miller says he is not aware of any US government contact with China "at this point".

He says the Department of Defense is taking the lead on the issue.

Miller does add that if there are any steps that would be useful for the State Department to take, they would not hesitate to take them.

Asked by a reporter if the US soldier had defected to North Korea, Miller replies: "All I will say, as I said at the top, is that it's clear that he wilfully, of his own volition, crossed the border".

The State Department spokesperson says the matter remains under investigation.

Spokesperson Matthew Miller says the State Department is in touch with the department of defense.

He says the captured solider crossed "willfully and without authorisation" into North Korea.

Asked if the State Department had reached out to either North or South Korea, he says he is "sure we are in touch with the South Koreans".

He said the department has not reached out to North Korea, but adds: "It's our understanding the Pentagon has".

The State Department is now giving an update, led by spokesperson Matthew Miller.

You can watch the briefing live by clicking the Play button at the top of this page.

The Pentagon briefing has come to an end.

Here is a clip of one of the key moments, during which Secretary Lloyd J Austin said he was concerned for the welfare of the captured US soldier.

That's it for this Pentagon briefing. Only one reporter asked about the US soldier detained in North Korea, and the secretary's statement was the same that was released earlier from the Pentagon.

Austin did add, however, that their utmost concern is for the "welfare of our troop".

We hope to get more answers from the state department which will hold a scheduled briefing shortly.

You can watch the state department's update live at the top of the page.

Image source, Getty Images

First up is a question from the Associated Press. The reporter asks if North Korea is forcibly detaining the US soldier, and whether there is concern of a security breach.

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J Austin says his department is closely monitoring and is investigating the situation. He added they are working to notify the soldier's next of kin.

"I am absolutely foremost concerned about the welfare of our troop," Austin says.

He adds that he expects the situation will continue to develop, and that updates will be provided as they become available.

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J Austin begins the press conference with a prepared statement on Ukraine, highlighting Ukraine's "most urgent battlefield needs".

Calling the Nato summit "highly successful", he says he is grateful that the alliance is united behind helping Ukraine defeat Russia.

We expect North Korea will be discussed shortly.

You can click the Play button at the top of this page to watch the live stream.