A U.S. Army soldier who was briefly detained by North Korea after crossing the DMZ last year pleaded guilty Friday to four other charges, including desertion and assaulting an officer, and was sentenced to 12 months in prison.
A military court judge at Fort Bliss, Texas, reportedly told King that if he did not plead guilty he could face up to 20 years in prison.
Nine other charges against King, including possession of sexual images of children, were dropped or dismissed under the terms of a plea agreement he agreed to, according to the Associated Press.
“Travis is grateful to his friends and family for their support and to all those around him who did not prejudge his case based on the initial allegations,” his lawyer, Franklin D. Rosenblatt, told the news agency before the hearing.
Travis King charged with desertion after crossing into North Korea
In this photo taken in Seoul on Aug. 16, 2023, a man walks in front of a television playing a news broadcast featuring a photo of U.S. soldier Travis King. (Anthony Wallace/AFP via Getty Images)
King fled South Korea across the heavily guarded border in July 2023, becoming the first American to be detained in North Korea in nearly five years.
He fled to North Korea shortly after being released from a South Korean prison where he had served about two months for assault.
About a week after his release from prison, military officers took him to the airport to return to Fort Bliss for disciplinary treatment. He was escorted through customs, but instead of boarding a plane, he took a private tour of the South Korean border village of Panmunjom.
U.S. officials say Travis King is in U.S. custody after being held in North Korea for several months.
An undated photo of Travis King, a US soldier who was held in North Korea for 71 days. (Facebook)
He then ran across the border, which is lined with guards and often crowded with tourists.
King was eventually detained by North Korea, but about two months later, North Korea suddenly announced it was deporting him. On September 28, he was flown back to Texas, where he remains in custody.
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King spent a total of 71 days in North Korean custody.
Fox News' Lawrence Richard and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
