Pentagon officials announced Tuesday (Aug. 1) that they received what is apparently the first public response from North Korea about U.S. Army Private 2nd Class Travis King, who crossed the demilitarized zone (DMZ) in July and entered the secretive communist dictatorship.

“There was the initial passing of the information, and this was essentially an acknowledgment from the DPRK [Democratic People's Republic of Korea] government that yes, we have received your request for information,” Pentagon press secretary Brig. Gen. Patrick Ryder told reporters, CBS News reported. It is unclear if officials in the North Korean capital Pyongyang had anything else to say.

“I can confirm that the DPRK has responded to United Nations Command, but I don't have any substantial progress to read out,” Ryder added.

King, 23, allegedly joined a group of tourists who were visiting the Joint Security Area in Panmunjom when he crossed the border on July 19 from South Korea, where he was stationed.

Before crossing into North Korea, King had just completed a 50-day, hard-labor sentence in South Korea for assault and other offenses, The Washington Post reported.

U.S. military personnel escorted King to a commercial airport where he was scheduled to board a flight to the United States for administrative separation for discharge from the Army. King, however, didn’t board the flight and managed to make his way to the DMZ.

The DMZ, which separates North and South Korea, is one of the most heavily militarized borders in the world. In 1953, the DMZ was formed after fighting ended during the Korean War and an armistice was signed. While the countries are still technically at war, the DMZ “ensures the demarcation between them remains peaceful.” Currently, the United States maintains a large troop presence in South Korea.