Fort Bliss, Texas, will be the setting for US soldier Travis King’s plea and sentencing hearing on 20 September. King, who had previously fled from South to North Korea before being returned home, will plead guilty to desertion and other charges as part of a plea deal. The army had filed 14 charges against King for the illegal crossing in July 2023, and he plans to enter a guilty plea to five charges, including desertion and assault.
King’s lawyer, Franklin Rosenblatt, stated that King will plead not guilty to the remaining offenses, which the Army will withdraw and dismiss. The guilty plea will be entered at a general court-martial, where King will have the opportunity to explain his actions, answer questions from a military judge, and receive his sentencing. Rosenblatt mentioned that King is appreciative of the support from his family and friends, as well as those who did not pre-judge him based on the allegations.
As part of the plea deal, charges such as possession of child pornography are expected to be dismissed. King, a private in the army since January 2021, was in South Korea as part of a unit rotation when he crossed into North Korea. Prior to this incident, he had spent two months in detention in South Korea on charges of assault and damaging a police car.
Swedish officials played a role in facilitating King’s release deal, bringing him to North Korea’s border with China. The circumstances of his time in North Korea, his reasons for fleeing there, and the reasons behind Pyongyang’s decision to expel him remain unclear. The US government has stated that no concessions were made to secure King’s release.