U.S. Army Private Travis King is set to plead guilty to five charges, including desertion, after running into North Korea last year. He is taking responsibility for his actions, with his lawyer stating that he will plead guilty to desertion, three counts of disobeying an officer, and assault on a noncommissioned officer. The remaining charges will be withdrawn and dismissed by the Army.
King’s release from North Korean custody in September followed negotiations that involved the Swedish government retrieving him and hand him over to the U.S. ambassador in China. Prior to his incident in North Korea, King had faced assault allegations in South Korea, to which he pleaded guilty.
King had been on his way home from South Korea when he slipped away from the airport and ventured into the border area between North and South Korea. Ultimately, he ran into North Korea and was captured by authorities before being released in September.
The guilty plea and sentencing hearing will take place on Sept. 20 at Fort Bliss in Texas. King originally joined the Army in January 2021 and had a history of disciplinary issues prior to his incident in North Korea.
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