WASHINGTON: A US soldier who crossed into North Korea last year pleaded guilty to desertion as part of a plea agreement Friday (Sep 20) and was sentenced to 12 months of confinement, his lawyer said.
Because of good behaviour and time served, the soldier was released, according to the lawyer.
Travis King was facing 14 charges related to him fleeing across the border from South Korea into the North in July 2023 while on a sightseeing tour of the Demilitarized Zone that divides the Korean Peninsula, and prior incidents.
But he pleaded guilty to just five – desertion, assault on a non-commissioned officer and three counts of disobeying an officer – as part of a deal that was accepted on Friday by a military judge.
“The judge, under the terms of the plea deal, sentenced Travis to one year of confinement, reduction in rank to private (E-1), forfeiture of all pay and allowances, and a dishonourable discharge,” a statement from King’s attorney Franklin Rosenblatt said.
“With time already served and credit for good behaviour, Travis is now free and will return home,” the statement said.
“Travis King has faced significant challenges throughout his life, including a difficult upbringing, exposure to criminal environments and struggles with mental health,” Rosenblatt said. “All these factors have compounded the hardships he faced in the military.”
