Travis King sentenced to one year confinement after pleading guilty to desertion

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Travis King, a United States soldier who fled to North Korea in 2023, was sentenced to one year of confinement for desertion and other charges. King pleaded guilty to five charges, including desertion, assault on a noncommissioned officer, and disobeying orders, as part of a plea deal accepted by a military judge in Fort Bliss, Texas.

King's lawyer, Franklin Rosenblatt, confirmed the sentence, which also included a reduction in rank to private, forfeiture of pay, and a dishonorable discharge. However, due to time already served and good behavior, King is now free to return home.

King had initially been stationed in South Korea and was set to return to the U.S. for disciplinary hearings after spending nearly two months in a South Korean jail following a bar fight. Instead, in July 2023, he crossed the border into North Korea during a civilian sightseeing tour of the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ).

North Korea later detained King and claimed he defected to escape mistreatment in the U.S. Army, but eventually expelled him after their investigation. He was returned to U.S. custody in September 2023.

Prosecutor Major Allyson Montgomery emphasized that the sentence reflected the seriousness of King’s offenses. His lawyer noted that King had faced significant challenges, including a difficult upbringing and struggles with mental health, which contributed to his actions.