US Soldier Expected to Plead Guilty to Desertion and Assault Charges, Enters Plea Deal

A US Army soldier who made headlines for running across the border from South to North Korea is anticipated to plead guilty to charges of desertion and assault as part of a plea agreement with prosecutors, according to his lawyer. US Army Private Travis King, who faced multiple charges under the Uniform Code of Military Justice, is expected to take responsibility for his actions and enter a guilty plea to five of the charges, including desertion.

King's attorney, Frank Rosenblatt, released a statement on Monday acknowledging that his client will plead guilty to desertion, disobeying an officer, and assaulting a noncommissioned officer. However, King is expected to maintain his innocence for other charges, including possession of child pornography, which Rosenblatt believes the Army will withdraw.

The soldier's court martial hearing, in which he will plead guilty and address his conduct, has been scheduled for September 20 at Fort Bliss, Texas. Rosenblatt expressed King's gratitude towards his friends and family for their support and thanked those who refrained from forming premature judgments based on initial allegations.

This plea deal comes after earlier reports that King's legal team was engaged in negotiations with military prosecutors. The Army's Office of Special Trial Counsel took over his case in July, and its spokesperson, Michelle McCaskill, confirmed that a plea agreement had been reached. McCaskill added that King will remain in pretrial confinement until the judge decides whether to accept the guilty plea or proceed with a contested court-martial.

In July 2023, King, a cavalry scout, reportedly crossed into North Korea without authorization shortly after being released from a detention facility in South Korea. Prior to this incident, King had been held in detention since October 2022 for allegedly assaulting a victim at a club in Seoul. The Army provided escorts for King, taking him to the airport where he was left at a security checkpoint. Instead of boarding his flight, King decided to join a tour of the Joint Security Area in the demilitarized zone between North and South Korea.

According to a US official, King initially attempted to enter a facility on the North Korean side of the demarcation line, but found the door locked. He then ran to the back of the building, where he was driven away in a van. At the time, North Korea claimed that King confessed to illegally intruding into their territory due to dissatisfaction with the treatment and discrimination he experienced within the US Army, along with disillusionment towards the US society. However, the veracity of these claims attributed to King remains unverified.

Last September, the US received a message from North Korea expressing their willingness to return King. On the day of his handover, King was escorted to the border between North Korea and China, where he was then handed off to US officials. He was subsequently flown to Shenyang, China, before reaching Osan Air Force Base in South Korea and departing for the US.

As the court martial hearing approaches, all eyes will be on Travis King as he awaits his sentence and the resolution of his case.