Soldier who crossed into North Korea to plead guilty to desertion

Franklin Rosenblatt, an attorney representing U.S. Army Private Travis King, said Monday that King will plead guilty to five charges during a hearing next month. The charges include one count of desertion, three counts of disobeying an officer, and one count of assault on a noncommissioned officer, Rosenblatt said. King last summer crossed into North Korea from South Korea after he skipped a flight bound for the United States where he faced disciplinary action. He previously served nearly two months in a South Korean prison on assault charges. King is scheduled to appear in court at Fort Bliss, Texas, on Sept. 20 to formally submit his plea.

Is he facing other charges? King is facing 14 distinct charges under the Uniform Code of Military Justice, according to Rosenblatt. Rosenblatt said King will plead not guilty to nine of the charges, which include possession of child pornography. He said he expects the Army to withdraw those charges. Spokeswoman for the U.S. Army Office of Special Trial Counsel Michelle McCaskill confirmed to CNN that prosecutors and King’s defense had negotiated a plea agreement. The deal is subject to the acceptance by a military judge, she said.

Dig deeper: From the WORLD archives, read Angela Lu Fulton’s report on disintegrating human rights in North Korea.