Travis King, Army private who fled to North Korea, charged with desertion
King, who was released from North Korean custody and returned to the United States last month, was charged with a series of other alleged offenses, including possession of child pornography, assaulting fellow soldiers, and disobeying a superior officer, according to the document. He was charged with eight counts total.
Shortly before fleeing, King had been released from detention in South Korea related to an October 2022 incident in which he allegedly pushed and punched a victim in the face at a club in Seoul, according to court documents.
King was supposed to board a flight to Texas where he was to face disciplinary procedures, but when he was released at a security checkpoint at the airport in Seoul, King left and the next day joined a tour of Joint Security Area in the demilitarized zone, from which he fled across the demarcation line into North Korea.
cnn.com
King was also allegedly caught possessing child pornography and asked another individual over Snapchat to “knowingly and willingly produce child pornography” the same month he fled to North Korea, according to the charges.
The Wisconsin native was additionally hit with assault charges for allegedly targeting his fellow soldiers and insubordination for leaving his base after curfew and drinking alcohol in violation of Army regulations, the documents state.
nypost.com |
