Travis King: American Soldier who escaped to North Korea 'faces charges upon return to the United States'

Travis King, a US soldier who escaped from South to North Korea and was recently repatriated, is reportedly facing multiple charges including desertion, soliciting and possessing sexual images of a child, and assaulting fellow soldiers. The reconnaissance specialist crossed into North Korea illegally during a guided tour of a border village in July. North Korea eventually released him without providing further details. Though the charges have not been officially announced, he is believed to be facing eight charges. It is possible that he could be imprisoned for desertion alone, considering his actions in July. Prior to his escape to North Korea, King was involved in misconduct, including an attempted escape from US military custody in October 2022. He is accused of soliciting a Snapchat user to produce child pornography and possessing child pornography as well. King's mother, Claudine Gates, is asking for her son to be presumed innocent. At the time of his border crossing, King was on duty with the US Army and had been stationed in South Korea as part of a rotation since January 2021. Before his escape, he had served a two-month detention in South Korea for assaulting two people and damaging a police car. He was released from custody on July 10th, just eight days before crossing into North Korea. Swedish officials facilitated his release deal, bringing him to the border between North Korea and China. Limited information is available regarding King's treatment in North Korea, his motivations for fleeing, and the reasons behind his release by Pyongyang.