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US soldier who fled to North Korea sentenced for desertion
BBC ^ | Sep 20 | Nadine Yousif

Posted on 09/20/2024 6:41:25 PM PDT by RandFan

Travis King, the US soldier who fled from South to North Korea last year before being returned home, has been sentenced to one year of confinement and is dishonourably discharged from the military.

He faced charges including desertion and assault of a non-commissioned officer.

But with time already served and credit for good behaviour, the 24-year-old Army private walked free, his legal team told the BBC.

At Friday's hearing at Fort Bliss, Texas, he pleaded guilty to five of the original 14 military charges that had been filed against him. The other charges were dismissed.

He was questioned by a military judge about his decision to flee across the border into North Korea in July 2023.

King joined the army in January 2021 and was in South Korea as part of a unit rotation when he crossed into North Korea.

At the hearing, King told military judge Lt Col Rick Mathew that he had decided to flee the US Army because he was “dissatisfied” with work and had been thinking about leaving for about a year before he bolted into North Korea.

“I wanted to desert from the US Army and never come back,” King said, according to reporters inside the courtroom

(Excerpt) Read more at bbc.co.uk ...


TOPICS: Miscellaneous; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: desertion; korea
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Hmmm... seems he got off lightly for defecting to an enemy?
1 posted on 09/20/2024 6:41:25 PM PDT by RandFan
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To: RandFan

This is just now reaching the sentencing phase?
I had forgotten all about his highly stupid stunt of walking to North Korea. His case probably has very low priority for the Army. He’s already locked up. They’ll get to him when they get to him.


2 posted on 09/20/2024 6:48:00 PM PDT by lee martell
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To: RandFan

In the old days he would have been shot.


3 posted on 09/20/2024 6:48:15 PM PDT by 2CAVTrooper (Freedom is the sure possession of those alone who have the courage to defend it.)
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To: 2CAVTrooper

Precisely.

Everyone too soft these days

Even if fraternizing with an enemy


4 posted on 09/20/2024 6:51:11 PM PDT by RandFan
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To: 2CAVTrooper
And here’s the reason he got off lightly:


5 posted on 09/20/2024 6:52:20 PM PDT by thegagline (Sic semper tyrannis! Trump & Vance, 2024! (Formerly) Goldwater & Thomas Sowell in 2024)
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To: thegagline

Amish


6 posted on 09/20/2024 6:55:32 PM PDT by Uversabound (Might does not make right, but it does enforce the commonly recognized rights of each succeeding gen)
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To: 2CAVTrooper
In the old days he would have been shot.

Since the Civil War, only one single U.S. soldier has been executed for desertion.

7 posted on 09/20/2024 7:05:13 PM PDT by Drew68
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To: RandFan
This guy was a real winner

King illegally crossed into North Korea while on a civilian tour of the village of Panmunjom, located on the heavily guarded Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) between North and South Korea.

He joined the civilian tour after he was released from a South Korean prison where he had served nearly two months on charges that he assaulted two people and kicked a police car.

After his release, he was taken to the airport so he could return to the Fort Bliss base to face disciplinary action. But instead of getting on the plane, King joined the civilian tour and ultimately bolted into North Korea, where he was detained by local authorities<

8 posted on 09/20/2024 7:12:28 PM PDT by OldHarbor
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To: OldHarbor
King illegally crossed into North Korea while on a civilian tour of the village of Panmunjom, located on the heavily guarded Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) between North and South Korea.

I crossed into North Korea too while on a tour of Panmunjom. He must have done more than just cross the border.

I don't quite get what happened. He defected to North Korea? That's plausible, since North Koreans routinely patrol the DMZ. But then they returned him? That seems odd.

9 posted on 09/20/2024 7:43:13 PM PDT by exDemMom (Dr. exDemMom, infectious disease and vaccines research specialist.)
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To: RandFan
has been sentenced to one year of confinement and is dishonourably discharged from the military. He faced charges including desertion and assault of a non-commissioned officer.

Unfortunately a very light sentence.

10 posted on 09/20/2024 7:44:22 PM PDT by cpdiii (cane cutter, deckhand, oilfield roughneck, drilling fluid tech, geologist, pilot, pharmacist ,MAGA)
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To: RandFan

They executed Private Slovik for less.


11 posted on 09/20/2024 7:45:12 PM PDT by dfwgator (Endut! Hoch Hech!)
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To: exDemMom

I don’t quite get what happened. He defected to North Korea? That’s plausible, since North Koreans routinely patrol the DMZ. But then they returned him? That seems odd.


Maybe for the same reason they returned Frank Burns in that MASH episode.


12 posted on 09/20/2024 7:46:33 PM PDT by dfwgator (Endut! Hoch Hech!)
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To: exDemMom

I have no idea how he did it It’s a shame they gave him back. He’ll be back on the block and continue his criminal ways.


13 posted on 09/20/2024 7:47:24 PM PDT by OldHarbor
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To: OldHarbor

Send him to Africa and give him his E-1 pay. Serve his sentence as a free man.


14 posted on 09/20/2024 7:59:14 PM PDT by DIRTYSECRET
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To: DIRTYSECRET

He has already served his time as per the article.

He’ll probably claim some sort of disability and pull down a government stipend via Social Security .

His defense lawyer suggested mental issues.


15 posted on 09/20/2024 8:08:05 PM PDT by OldHarbor
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To: OldHarbor

The Norks at first used him for propaganda food. They then spit him out.


16 posted on 09/20/2024 8:12:05 PM PDT by DIRTYSECRET
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To: exDemMom

Tried to desert to north Korea and they threw him back. Even north Korea didnt want his black bullsht.


17 posted on 09/20/2024 8:12:18 PM PDT by Ikeon (If the we outlaw margarine, the world would be a butter place)
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To: Ikeon

**has been sentenced to one year of confinement and is dishonourably discharged from the military.**

Military justice is to justice what military music is to music.


18 posted on 09/20/2024 8:28:31 PM PDT by DIRTYSECRET
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To: dfwgator

I’ve decided to quit the Army. John Winger - Mr. Push-Ups

North Korea? It’s like Wisconsin!

We zip in! We zip out!


19 posted on 09/21/2024 12:21:23 AM PDT by SaveFerris (Luke 17:28 ... as it was in the Days of Lot; They did Eat, They Drank, They Bought, They Sold ......)
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To: RandFan

Military Desertion Penalty

If the individual deserted but then voluntarily returned under military control:

Dishonorable discharge
Loss of all allowances and payments and reduction to the lowest enlisted grade
Three years in confinement

If the individual deserted and was later terminated with apprehension:

Dishonorable discharge and forfeiture of all wages and allowances
Reduction of the lowest enlisted grade
Confinement for 3 years

If the individual deserted with the intention to avoid dangerous duty or to avoid important service:

The punishment is dishonorable discharge
Forfeiture of all pay or allowances
Reduction to the lowest enlisted grade
Confinement for five years

If the individual deserts in the time of war, the member could be sentenced to death or a different penalty (such as life imprisonment) that a court-martial might decide.


20 posted on 09/21/2024 5:02:44 AM PDT by maddog55 (The only thing systemic in America is the left's hatred of it!)
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