"I can confirm that the [Democratic People's Republic of Korea] has responded to United Nations Command, but I don't have any substantial progress to read out," Pentagon press secretary Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder said during a briefing Tuesday when asked by ABC News for an update on attempts to communicate with North Korea. The message, which came on Monday Eastern time, was superficial -- the North Koreans merely acknowledging that King had crossed into the country, and saying that the incident is under investigation. King, 23, has been a cavalry scout in the U.S. Army since 2021 and had no previous deployments before serving in South Korea, according to Army spokesperson Bryce Dubee.