US Army Private Who Fled To North Korea Charged With Desertion And Other Crimes

Travis King, the U.S. Army private who fled to North Korea in July, has been formally charged with desertion and other serious offenses by the Army. King returned to the US last month after being released from North Korean custody.

According to a CNN report on Thursday, King is facing eight counts in total, which include possession of child pornography, assaulting fellow soldiers, and disobeying a superior officer.

The 23-year-old was taken into custody at Ft. Bliss, Texas, on Wednesday and is currently being held in pre-trial detention.

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The accused’s mother, Claudine Gates, expressed her unconditional love for her son and serious concerns for his mental health in a statement shared with CNN.

Before fleeing to North Korea, King had been released from detention in South Korea following an incident in October 2022 where he allegedly assaulted a person at a club in Seoul. King was supposed to return to Texas to face disciplinary procedures, but instead, he joined a tour of the Joint Security Area in the demilitarized zone and crossed into North Korea.

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