SEOUL, July 19 (Reuters) - Months before he fled into North Korea, U.S. soldier Travis King faced two assault allegations and was fined by a South Korean court for damaging a police car, according to a court ruling and a lawyer who represented him. The U.S. military was scrambling to establish the fate of King, who made an unauthorised crossing of the inter-Korean border into North Korea on Tuesday, throwing Washington into a new crisis in its dealing with the nuclear-armed state. Two U.S. officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the soldier had been due to face disciplinary action by the U.S. military. Forces Korea (USFK) declined to confirm whether King had been in South Korean or U.S. military detention. King's mother, Claudine Gates, told ABC News she was shocked at the news her son had crossed into North Korea.

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