From Army Private to North Korean Defector: The Incredible Story of Travis King

US Army private Travis King, who defected to North Korea in July, has been officially charged with desertion and several other offenses by the Army. The charges, including possession of child pornography, assaulting fellow soldiers, and insubordination towards a superior officer, were listed in a document obtained by CNN on Thursday. In total, King is facing eight charges.

King, aged 23, was apprehended on Wednesday at Ft. Bliss, Texas, as disclosed by a reliable source who informed CNN that he is presently under pre-trial detention.

Claudine Gates, King's mother, conveyed her unconditional love for her son and expressed deep distress regarding his mental well-being in a statement shared with CNN.

"I, as a mother, request that my son is given the presumption of innocence," she expressed.

"A mother possesses an intuitive understanding of her son, and I firmly believe that something untoward occurred to him during his deployment. The Army has assured an investigation into the events at Camp Humphries, and I eagerly anticipate the findings," Gates further stated.

CNN has reached out to the Army for comment.

King returned to US soil in late September after US officials said he "willfully and without authorization" crossed into North Korea in July.

Shortly before his escape, King had recently been freed from custody in South Korea following an incident in October 2022. According to court records, he was accused of assaulting a person at a club in Seoul, allegedly through pushing and punching them in the face.

Initially, it was arranged for King to leave for Texas and confront disciplinary measures. However, upon his release at a security checkpoint in the Seoul airport, he made the decision to abscond. The following day, he joined a tour of the Joint Security Area within the demilitarized zone and subsequently crossed the demarcation line into North Korea.

CNNs Laura Coates contributed to this report.