US Army private Travis King, who crossed into North Korea last year and was detained, plans to plead guilty to five charges, including desertion, according to his lawyer.
King faces 14 charges under the Uniform Code of Military Justice, including desertion, assault, and solicitation of child pornography. His attorney, Franklin D Rosenblatt, informed The Associated Press that King plans to plead guilty to five military charges, including desertion and assaulting an officer.As part of the agreement, nine other charges, such as possessing sexual images of a child, will be dropped and dismissed.
Previous detentions
King, who joined the Army in 2021, had been previously held in South Korea for assault. He was slated to face disciplinary action in the US after his release from South Korean detention. However, while traveling home from Seoul’s international airport, he diverted to join a civilian tour of the border area between North and South Korea. During the tour, he crossed into North Korea, where he was quickly detained by North Korean authorities. He was released in September of the previous year as a result of international negotiations.
Upcoming hearing
King’s guilty plea and sentencing hearing are scheduled for September 20 at Fort Bliss, Texas.