US Army soldier who fled to North Korea will plead guilty

U.S. Army Pvt. Travis King is expected to plead guilty to several charges the military has brought against him, according to his lawyer.

King was deployed to South Korea but expected to return home in July 2023, when he ran into North Korea during a tour of a town on the border.

King, who is charged with 14 counts for an array of alleged offenses, will plead guilty to five of those charges on Sept. 20 before a military judge in Fort Bliss, Texas, according to his attorney, Franklin Rosenblatt.

After pleading guilty at a general court-martial to those counts, which include desertion, the Army will drop the other charges he is accused of, Rosenblatt added.

"Travis is grateful to his friends and family who have supported him, and to all outside of his circle who did not pre-judge his case based on the initial allegations," his lawyer said in the statement.

The Hill has reached out to the Army for comment.

In October 2023, about a month after he was returned to the U.S. from North Korea, King was charged with counts that included unlawfully possessing alcohol, making a false statement, possessing child pornography and assaulting officers.

There was some speculation that King might plead guilty, with a hearing canceled in July amid negotiations between the defense and prosecutors.