Charles Robert Jenkins
Encyclopedia
Charles Robert Jenkins (born February 18, 1940) is a former United States Army
soldier who lived in North Korea
from 1965 to 2004 after deserting
his unit and crossing the Korean Demilitarized Zone
.
. He joined the National Guard
in 1955, well below the minimum enlistment age. He joined the regular army in 1958 and was assigned to the 1st Cavalry Division. He served in South Korea
from 1960 to 1961, in Europe to 1964, and in South Korea again.
In South Korea, Jenkins was assigned to night patrols. As a result of fears that he would be transferred to combat duty in Vietnam
, he grew depressed and anxious, and started drinking alcohol. On the night of January 4, 1965, after reportedly drinking ten beers, he set off on his nightly patrol of the Demilitarized Zone. In the early morning, he told his patrol that he was going to investigate a noise. He subsequently crossed into North Korea and surrendered to forces there, in hopes of being sent to Russia and then, through prisoner exchange, eventually returned to America. Shortly thereafter, North Korean propaganda
declared that a U.S. sergeant had defected, and broadcast statements allegedly made by the defector, reportedly in stilted English. The U.S. Army claimed Jenkins wrote four letters stating his intention to defect (an allegation Jenkins denies); however, the original letters are reportedly lost. His relatives maintained throughout his absence that he was abducted.
philosophy of Kim Il-sung
. They were forced to memorize large passages of Kim's in Korean, and beaten frequently. He says that at one point in 1966, he found his way to the Soviet
embassy in Pyongyang
and requested asylum
, which was denied. Eventually, Jenkins was placed in separate housing and began teaching English at the Pyongyang University of Foreign Studies
. However, Jenkins had a thick North Carolina accent
. This interfered with the government's goal of teaching spies English so that they could pass as South Korean, and when the North Koreans realized this, he was fired from that job.
In 1980, Jenkins was introduced to Hitomi Soga
, a 21-year-old Japanese nurse who had been abducted by North Korean agents in 1978
, along with her mother, during a search for Japanese citizens who could train future spies in Japanese language and culture. Soga's mother was never heard from again, and Soga was "given to" Jenkins. Soga and Jenkins fell in love, and thirty-eight days after meeting, they were married. They had two daughters, Roberta Mika Jenkins (born 1983) and Brinda Carol Jenkins (born 1985). In 1982, Jenkins appeared in the North Korean film Unsung Heroes
, which provided the first evidence to the Western world that he was alive. The U.S. government did not publicly reveal this information until 1996.
confirmed that North Korea had abducted Japanese citizens. In an effort at détente
, surviving abductees were allowed to travel to Japan, including Jenkins' wife. The visit was intended to last for a week, but the Japanese government chose not to return them on schedule and instead negotiated for their families to join them in Japan. Most of the families did ultimately travel to Japan, but Jenkins and his daughters stayed behind out of fear that the North Korean government was testing his loyalty. After assurances of protection from the Japanese government, he traveled with his daughters to Japan by way of Indonesia
for medical treatment, arriving in Japan on July 18, 2004. Japan formally requested a pardon for Jenkins, which the U.S. declined to grant. After expressing a desire to put his conscience at rest, Jenkins reported on September 11, 2004 to Camp Zama
in Japan. He reported in respectful military form, saluting
the receiving military police officer.
On November 3, Jenkins pled guilty to charges of desertion and aiding the enemy, but denied making disloyal or seditious statements—the latter charges were dropped. He was sentenced to 30 days' confinement and received a dishonorable discharge. He was released six days early, on November 27, 2004, for good behavior.
Jenkins and his family settled on Sado Island
in Japan, which is Soga's home. On June 14, 2005, Jenkins, his wife, and two daughters traveled to the United States
to visit his 91-year-old mother in North Carolina
, returning later in the month. He found work as a greeter in a shop.
There were three other American deserters who remained in North Korea as well: James Joseph Dresnok
, who was interviewed for a 2006 British documentary Crossing the Line, Private Larry Allen Abshier
, and Specialist Jerry Wayne Parrish
. The former two defected in 1962, while the latter defected in 1963. As of 2007, Dresnok is living in North Korea and says he does not regret his defection. According to North Korean official reports, Abshier and Parrish died of natural causes while living in that country.
On July 15, 2008, Jenkins obtained permanent residency status in Japan, just half a month after he applied for the status. Jenkins commented that he wanted to stay in Japan for the rest of his life, and would also like to obtain Japanese nationality
.
-language edition was also released in June 2006 by Mulpure Publishing of South Korea. (Korean: 고백, gobaek, ISBN 8981102341) An English language version, titled The Reluctant Communist: My Desertion, Court-Martial, and Forty-Year Imprisonment in North Korea, co-authored with journalist Jim Frederick (ISBN 978-0520253339), was released for publication by the University of California Press
on March 1, 2008.
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
soldier who lived in North Korea
North Korea
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...
from 1965 to 2004 after deserting
Desertion
In military terminology, desertion is the abandonment of a "duty" or post without permission and is done with the intention of not returning...
his unit and crossing the Korean Demilitarized Zone
Korean Demilitarized Zone
The Korean Demilitarized Zone is a strip of land running across the Korean Peninsula that serves as a buffer zone between North and South Korea. The DMZ cuts the Korean Peninsula roughly in half, crossing the 38th parallel on an angle, with the west end of the DMZ lying south of the parallel and...
.
Military service and desertion
Jenkins was born in Rich Square, North CarolinaRich Square, North Carolina
Rich Square is a town in Northampton County, North Carolina, United States of America . The population was 931 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
. He joined the National Guard
United States National Guard
The National Guard of the United States is a reserve military force composed of state National Guard militia members or units under federally recognized active or inactive armed force service for the United States. Militia members are citizen soldiers, meaning they work part time for the National...
in 1955, well below the minimum enlistment age. He joined the regular army in 1958 and was assigned to the 1st Cavalry Division. He served in South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
from 1960 to 1961, in Europe to 1964, and in South Korea again.
In South Korea, Jenkins was assigned to night patrols. As a result of fears that he would be transferred to combat duty in Vietnam
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
, he grew depressed and anxious, and started drinking alcohol. On the night of January 4, 1965, after reportedly drinking ten beers, he set off on his nightly patrol of the Demilitarized Zone. In the early morning, he told his patrol that he was going to investigate a noise. He subsequently crossed into North Korea and surrendered to forces there, in hopes of being sent to Russia and then, through prisoner exchange, eventually returned to America. Shortly thereafter, North Korean propaganda
Propaganda
Propaganda is a form of communication that is aimed at influencing the attitude of a community toward some cause or position so as to benefit oneself or one's group....
declared that a U.S. sergeant had defected, and broadcast statements allegedly made by the defector, reportedly in stilted English. The U.S. Army claimed Jenkins wrote four letters stating his intention to defect (an allegation Jenkins denies); however, the original letters are reportedly lost. His relatives maintained throughout his absence that he was abducted.
Life in North Korea
Information about Jenkins' status was unavailable outside North Korea for many years. Jenkins says he almost immediately regretted his defection. He says that he and three other U.S. servicemen, Larry Abshier, Jerry Parrish and James Dresnok, were quarantined in a one-room house with no running water until 1972, where they were made to study the JucheJuche
Juche or Chuch'e is a Korean word usually translated as "self-reliance." In the Democratic People's Republic of Korea , "Juche" refers specifically to a political thesis of Kim Il-sung, the Juche Idea, that identifies the Korean masses as the masters of the country's development...
philosophy of Kim Il-sung
Kim Il-sung
Kim Il-sung was a Korean communist politician who led the Democratic People's Republic of Korea from its founding in 1948 until his death in 1994. He held the posts of Prime Minister from 1948 to 1972 and President from 1972 to his death...
. They were forced to memorize large passages of Kim's in Korean, and beaten frequently. He says that at one point in 1966, he found his way to the Soviet
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
embassy in Pyongyang
Pyongyang
Pyongyang is the capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, commonly known as North Korea, and the largest city in the country. Pyongyang is located on the Taedong River and, according to preliminary results from the 2008 population census, has a population of 3,255,388. The city was...
and requested asylum
Right of asylum
Right of asylum is an ancient juridical notion, under which a person persecuted for political opinions or religious beliefs in his or her own country may be protected by another sovereign authority, a foreign country, or church sanctuaries...
, which was denied. Eventually, Jenkins was placed in separate housing and began teaching English at the Pyongyang University of Foreign Studies
Pyongyang University of Foreign Studies
The Pyongyang University of Foreign Studies is a 5-year university in Pyongyang, North Korea, specialising in language education.-History:The university was split off from Kim Il-sung University in 1964. North Korea's state-run Korean Central News Agency gives its foundation date as 1949...
. However, Jenkins had a thick North Carolina accent
Southern American English
Southern American English is a group of dialects of the English language spoken throughout the Southern region of the United States, from Southern and Eastern Maryland, West Virginia and Kentucky to the Gulf Coast, and from the Atlantic coast to most of Texas and Oklahoma.The Southern dialects make...
. This interfered with the government's goal of teaching spies English so that they could pass as South Korean, and when the North Koreans realized this, he was fired from that job.
In 1980, Jenkins was introduced to Hitomi Soga
Hitomi Soga
Hitomi Soga is a Japanese woman who was abducted to North Korea together with her mother, Miyoshi Soga, from Sado Island, Japan, in 1978. She was "given" to and later married Charles Robert Jenkins, an American defector to North Korea, in 1980...
, a 21-year-old Japanese nurse who had been abducted by North Korean agents in 1978
North Korean abductions of Japanese
The abductions of Japanese citizens from Japan by agents of the North Korean government happened during a period of six years from 1977 to 1983. Although only 17 Japanese are officially recognized by the Japanese government as having been abducted, there may have been as many as 70 to 80...
, along with her mother, during a search for Japanese citizens who could train future spies in Japanese language and culture. Soga's mother was never heard from again, and Soga was "given to" Jenkins. Soga and Jenkins fell in love, and thirty-eight days after meeting, they were married. They had two daughters, Roberta Mika Jenkins (born 1983) and Brinda Carol Jenkins (born 1985). In 1982, Jenkins appeared in the North Korean film Unsung Heroes
Unsung Heroes (film)
Unsung Heroes, also known as Unknown Heroes or more literally as Nameless Heroes, is a North Korean propaganda film series about a spy in Seoul during the Korean War. Over twenty hours long, it was filmed and released in multiple parts between 1978 and 1981...
, which provided the first evidence to the Western world that he was alive. The U.S. government did not publicly reveal this information until 1996.
Confirmation and return
Jenkins drew international interest again in 2002, when North Korean leader Kim Jong-ilKim Jong-il
Kim Jong-il, also written as Kim Jong Il, birth name Yuri Irsenovich Kim born 16 February 1941 or 16 February 1942 , is the Supreme Leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea...
confirmed that North Korea had abducted Japanese citizens. In an effort at détente
Détente
Détente is the easing of strained relations, especially in a political situation. The term is often used in reference to the general easing of relations between the Soviet Union and the United States in the 1970s, a thawing at a period roughly in the middle of the Cold War...
, surviving abductees were allowed to travel to Japan, including Jenkins' wife. The visit was intended to last for a week, but the Japanese government chose not to return them on schedule and instead negotiated for their families to join them in Japan. Most of the families did ultimately travel to Japan, but Jenkins and his daughters stayed behind out of fear that the North Korean government was testing his loyalty. After assurances of protection from the Japanese government, he traveled with his daughters to Japan by way of Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
for medical treatment, arriving in Japan on July 18, 2004. Japan formally requested a pardon for Jenkins, which the U.S. declined to grant. After expressing a desire to put his conscience at rest, Jenkins reported on September 11, 2004 to Camp Zama
Camp Zama
is a United States Army post located in the cities of Zama and Sagamihara, in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan, about southwest of Tokyo.Camp Zama is home to the U.S. Army Japan /I Corps , the U.S. Army Japan Aviation Detachment "Ninjas" , the 500th Military Intelligence Brigade, the Japan Engineer...
in Japan. He reported in respectful military form, saluting
Salute
A salute is a gesture or other action used to display respect. Salutes are primarily associated with armed forces, but other organizations and civil people also use salutes.-Military salutes:...
the receiving military police officer.
On November 3, Jenkins pled guilty to charges of desertion and aiding the enemy, but denied making disloyal or seditious statements—the latter charges were dropped. He was sentenced to 30 days' confinement and received a dishonorable discharge. He was released six days early, on November 27, 2004, for good behavior.
Jenkins and his family settled on Sado Island
Sado, Niigata
is a city located on Sado Island in Niigata Prefecture, in the Chūbu region of Japan. Since 2004, the city has comprised the entire island, although not all of its total area of 855.26 km2 is urbanized...
in Japan, which is Soga's home. On June 14, 2005, Jenkins, his wife, and two daughters traveled to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
to visit his 91-year-old mother in North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
, returning later in the month. He found work as a greeter in a shop.
There were three other American deserters who remained in North Korea as well: James Joseph Dresnok
James Joseph Dresnok
James Joseph Dresnok is an American defector to North Korea, one of six American soldiers to defect after the Korean War. He was featured on the CBS magazine program 60 Minutes on January 28, 2007, as the last United States defector alive in North Korea and was the subject of a documentary film...
, who was interviewed for a 2006 British documentary Crossing the Line, Private Larry Allen Abshier
Larry Allen Abshier
Private Larry Allen Abshier of the U.S. Army was one of six American soldiers to defect to North Korea after the Korean War.-Defecting:...
, and Specialist Jerry Wayne Parrish
Jerry Wayne Parrish
Cpl. Jerry Wayne Parrish of the U.S. Army was one of six American soldiers to defect to North Korea after the Korean War....
. The former two defected in 1962, while the latter defected in 1963. As of 2007, Dresnok is living in North Korea and says he does not regret his defection. According to North Korean official reports, Abshier and Parrish died of natural causes while living in that country.
On July 15, 2008, Jenkins obtained permanent residency status in Japan, just half a month after he applied for the status. Jenkins commented that he wanted to stay in Japan for the rest of his life, and would also like to obtain Japanese nationality
Nationality
Nationality is membership of a nation or sovereign state, usually determined by their citizenship, but sometimes by ethnicity or place of residence, or based on their sense of national identity....
.
Memoirs
Jenkins published a book in Japanese in October 2005, titled To Tell the Truth , about his experiences in North Korea. A KoreanKorean language
Korean is the official language of the country Korea, in both South and North. It is also one of the two official languages in the Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in People's Republic of China. There are about 78 million Korean speakers worldwide. In the 15th century, a national writing...
-language edition was also released in June 2006 by Mulpure Publishing of South Korea. (Korean: 고백, gobaek, ISBN 8981102341) An English language version, titled The Reluctant Communist: My Desertion, Court-Martial, and Forty-Year Imprisonment in North Korea, co-authored with journalist Jim Frederick (ISBN 978-0520253339), was released for publication by the University of California Press
University of California Press
University of California Press, also known as UC Press, is a publishing house associated with the University of California that engages in academic publishing. It was founded in 1893 to publish books and papers for the faculty of the University of California, established 25 years earlier in 1868...
on March 1, 2008.
See also
- List of American and British defectors in the Korean War: the 21 Americans and 1 Briton who refused repatriation during Operation Big SwitchOperation Big SwitchOperation Big Switch was the repatriation of all remaining prisoners of the Korean War. Ceasefire talks had been going on between Communist and UN forces since 1951, with one of the main stumbling blocks being the Communist insistence that all prisoners be returned home, with the UN insisting that...
in 1953 (to remain in ChinaChinaChinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
) - Larry Allen AbshierLarry Allen AbshierPrivate Larry Allen Abshier of the U.S. Army was one of six American soldiers to defect to North Korea after the Korean War.-Defecting:...
(1943–1983) of Urbana, IllinoisUrbana, IllinoisUrbana is the county seat of Champaign County, Illinois, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 41,250. Urbana is the tenth-most populous city in Illinois outside of the Chicago metropolitan area....
, deserted in May 1962 at age 19 - James Joseph DresnokJames Joseph DresnokJames Joseph Dresnok is an American defector to North Korea, one of six American soldiers to defect after the Korean War. He was featured on the CBS magazine program 60 Minutes on January 28, 2007, as the last United States defector alive in North Korea and was the subject of a documentary film...
(born 1941) of Richmond, VirginiaRichmond, VirginiaRichmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
, deserted on August 15, 1962 at age 21 - Jerry Wayne ParrishJerry Wayne ParrishCpl. Jerry Wayne Parrish of the U.S. Army was one of six American soldiers to defect to North Korea after the Korean War....
(1944–1996) of Morganfield, KentuckyMorganfield, KentuckyMorganfield is a city in Union County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 3,494 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Union County...
, deserted in December 1963 at age 19 - Roy ChungRoy ChungRoy Chung is widely believed to be the fifth of six United States Army servicemen to have defected to North Korea after the Korean War.- Life and disappearance :...
, deserted in June 1979 - Joseph T. WhiteJoseph T. WhiteJoseph T. White born in St. Louis, Missouri, was a private in the United States Army who defected to North Korea on August 28, 1982. A member of 1/31st Infantry, he shot the lock off one of the gates leading into the Korean Demilitarized Zone and was witnessed surrendering to North Korean troops...
(1961–1985) of St Louis, Missouri, deserted in August 1982 at age 20
External links
- FEER interview with Jenkins, September 1, 2004
- Asia Times - The strange saga of Charles Robert Jenkins
- BBC News - North Korea's mystery guest
- TIME Asia Magazine - The Long Mistake
- US deserter reunited with mother
- "Last Surviving US defector to North Korea speaks out", from the Korea Times, August 19, 2004
- "Deserter Recalls N. Korean Hell" - Interview of Jenkins by Scott PelleyScott PelleyScott Cameron Pelley is an American television journalist who is currently anchor and managing editor of the CBS Evening News and a correspondent for the CBS news magazine 60 Minutes...
of CBSCBSCBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
's 60 Minutes60 Minutes60 Minutes is an American television news magazine, which has run on CBS since 1968. The program was created by producer Don Hewitt who set it apart by using a unique style of reporter-centered investigation.... - "Kokuhaku: Pictures", "Kokuhaku: Pictures 2" - Photos and translations from Jenkins' book published in Japan.
- "The Reluctant North Korean Film Star" - Interview with Charles Jenkins about film work and collaborating with the US government by Alex Hoban