Travis King, U.S. Soldier Who Entered North Korea, to Plead Guilty to Desertion

Travis King, the U.S. Army private who crossed the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) into North Korea last year, is set to plead guilty to several charges, including desertion and assault, according to his lawyer. This plea is part of a deal he has reached.

His attorney, Franklin Rosenblatt, announced on Monday that King was facing a total of fourteen charges under the Uniform Code of Military Justice. As part of his plea, King will admit guilt to five of these charges, which include desertion, three counts of disobeying an officer, and assault on a noncommissioned officer.

The other nine charges, which included solicitation and possession of child sexual abuse material, will be withdrawn and dismissed, Rosenblatt confirmed.

King is expected to enter his plea during a general court-martial set for September 20 at Fort Bliss, Texas. According to his lawyer, during this court-martial, King will provide an explanation for his actions, respond to questions from a military judge regarding his plea, and face sentencing afterward. Rosenblatt noted that King is thankful for the support from his friends and family and appreciates those who withheld judgment before all the facts were known.

A native of Racine, Wisconsin, King enlisted in the Army in January 2021, serving as a cavalry scout. His deployment to South Korea was part of a rotational assignment, where he was arrested and held for nearly two months on assault charges prior to his crossing into North Korea.

At the age of 23, King was set to return to the U.S. in July 2023 to face additional disciplinary actions. However, on the day of his departure, military personnel escorted him to Incheon Airport and accompanied him through the security area. Instead of boarding his flight, King seized the opportunity to join a civilian tour at the heavily fortified Panmunjom Village in the DMZ and ultimately dashed across the border into North Korea.

King was held by North Korean authorities for two months before his release on September 27, 2023. The North Korean regime stated that they had completed their investigation into King’s actions. A report from the state-run Korean Central News Agency revealed that King confessed to illegally entering North Korean territory, citing grievances over alleged mistreatment and racial discrimination within the U.S. Army, as well as disillusionment with societal inequalities in the United States.

The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea is the official title for North Korea. Since returning to the U.S., King has not publicly commented on his experiences or treatment during his time in the North.

After his return, King underwent three weeks of debriefing and reintegration processes at Joint Base San Antonio before rejoining his unit at Fort Bliss. Since then, he has been held in pre-trial detention at the Otero County Detention Center in New Mexico.