American soldier who infiltrated North Korea will be released after agreeing to a lighter sentence

US Army Travis KingArrested last July after crossing the irregular border into North Korea, he was sentenced to a year in prison, which he has already served, for which he will be released and given an honorable discharge after being demoted to private soldier.

The court-martial at Fort Bliss, Texas, which tried King, accepted the plea agreement reached between the prosecution and the defense. In exchange, the prosecution dropped nine other charges. The sentence has already been served and with benefits for good behavior, so “Travis will now be free and go home,” his lawyer emphasized. Franklin Rosenblatt.

“Travis King faced significant difficulties throughout his life: a difficult childhood, exposure to a criminal environment, and mental health problems, which added to the difficulties he faced in the military (…). “He accepted his responsibility at the court-martial, but make no mistake: the negative public opinion and his actions The consequences, in addition to the jail time he served, reflect a sentence that is still in effect for him. For the rest of his life,” argued the lawyer.

The soldier crossed the security line in July 2023. Military demarcation Divides the Korean Peninsula when it was part of the US Legion South Korea.

A day before his return AmericaIn theory he was going to face disciplinary action for an incident in Seoul, crossing into North Korean territory. In October 2022, the soldier was accused of repeatedly hitting the door of a vehicle during a fight in Mapo district. The accused was uncooperative with agents who asked him to identify himself and shouted profanities. South Korea.

He was previously accused of punching a South Korean citizen in the face at a nightclub in September 2022, although he was not charged because the victim said he did not want the soldier punished.

North Korean officials decided to expel King without giving reasons for the decision. The soldier said he entered North Korea because of the “mistreatment” and “discrimination” he experienced there. United States Armed Forces.

The Demilitarized Zone It separates the two Koreas and its border is one of the strongest in the world. Mines and electric and barbed wire fences and armed guards regularly monitor the area.