U.S. Army private charged with desertion for running to North Korea

Travis King, a U.S. Army private who ran across the North Korean border in July, has been detained by the military, the Associated Press reported Thursday, citing unnamed officials. King faces eight charges, including desertion and possessing sexual images of a child, according to a document seen by the AP. King is also accused of assaulting a fellow officer, unlawful possession of alcohol, and making a false statement. North Korea detained King for about two months before he was expelled. The U.S. military again took him into custody in late September.

What happened after North Korea returned King? The military took King to a Texas medical facility where he underwent a reintegration process, including psychological assessments and debriefings. Officials are unsure why North Korea let King go but suspect that, as a low-ranking serviceman, he offered little value for information or leverage, they told the AP. While King was in North Korea, the military declared him absent without leave. Desertion is a more serious offense, indicating that the Army has concluded King intended to leave permanently.

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