UPDATE - US secures return of soldier detained in North Korea; thanks Sweden, China for their assistance

UPDATES WITH STATE DEPT. STATEMENT

By Firdevs Bulut Kartal

TORONTO (AA) - The US secured the safe return Wednesday of American soldier Travis King, who was detained in North Korea, according to a statement.

National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan thanked Sweden in a statement "for its diplomatic role serving as the protecting power for the United States in the DPRK," and China for helping facilitate the transit of the soldier.

Pentagon spokesman Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder also thanked the two countries for their assistance in the safe return of King, and he said the US appreciates the hard work of the army personnel and US forces in Korea.

State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said officials expect King to arrive in the US in the "coming hours."

"Earlier today he was transported to the border between North Korea and China, where he was met by our ambassador to the People's Republic of China, Nicholas Burns," he said, adding that King later boarded a State Department plane and flew to the Osan Air Base in South Korea, where he was transferred to the Department of Defense.

In response to a question, Miller said he did not see a sign of a breakthrough with North Korea over the return of the US soldier, adding: "I think it's a one-off".

Pyongyang first publicly acknowledged King as a US Army private 2nd class who crossed into North Korea from South Korea during a visit to the Panmunjom Joint Security Area in July.

King was with a group of tourists on a visit to Panmunjom, it added.

Soon after UN forces guarding the area revealed that King crossed into North Korea, Washington said it had not engaged in any significant communication with North Korea concerning the soldier.

*Iclal Turan in Washington contributed to this story.