(Washington) A U.S. Army soldier who fled to North Korea just over a year ago will plead guilty to desertion and four other charges and take responsibility for his conduct, his lawyer said Monday.
Travis King’s attorney, Franklin D. Rosenblatt, told The Associated Press that his client intends to plead guilty to military offenses, including desertion and assaulting an officer. Nine other offenses, including possession of sexual images of a child, will be dismissed under the terms of the agreement.
King will have the opportunity to discuss his actions at a plea hearing Sept. 20 at Fort Bliss, Texas.
“He wants to take responsibility for the things he has done,” Mr.e Rosenblatt, who declined to comment on any possible sentence his client might face.
Desertion is a serious charge and can carry a prison sentence of up to three years.
The AP reported last month that the two sides were in plea talks.
In July 2023, King crossed South Korea’s heavily fortified border and became the first American detained in North Korea in nearly five years.
He arrived in North Korea shortly after being released from a South Korean prison where he had been held for nearly two months for assault.
About a week after his release from prison, military officers took him to the airport so he could return to Fort Bliss for disciplinary action. He was escorted through customs, but instead of boarding the plane, he joined a civilian tour of the Korean border village of Panmunjom. He then ran across the border, which is lined with guards and often crowded with tourists.
He was arrested by North Korea, but after about two months, Pyongyang abruptly announced it would deport him. On September 28, he was flown back to Texas, where he remains in custody.
In October, the U.S. Army filed a series of charges against King under the Uniform Code of Military Justice, including desertion, kicking and punching other officers, illegal possession of alcohol, making a false statement and possessing a video of a child engaged in sexual activity. The allegations date back to July 10, the same day he was released from prison.