Joseph T. White
Encyclopedia
Joseph 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 by fellow U.S. soldiers. He was the last of the six known Americans to defect after the end of the Korean War
.
North Korean authorities refused a request by UNC representatives to meet White and ask him about the reasons for his defection. North Korean authorities released a video in which White, looking uncomfortable, denounced the United States' "corruptness, criminality, immorality, weakness, and hedonism," claiming he had defected to demonstrate how "unjustifiable [it was] for the U.S. to send troops to South Korea
." As White's speech was written in stilted, unnatural-sounding English
, it is widely considered that it was written by North Koreans and not by him.
Prior to White's defection, Charles Jenkins
was the last U.S. soldier to cross the demilitarized zone
into North Korea. (Roy Chung
, who deserted after Jenkins but before White, did not cross the DMZ but instead defected to East Germany and later arrived at North Korea.) Jenkins wrote in his memoirs that he never met White, but once saw him on state television at a hastily prepared press conference soon after the defection. He also wrote that plans were in the works for White to share housing with one of the other American defectors, but it eventually fell through. According to Jenkins' government minders, White suffered an epileptic seizure of some form and was left paralyzed. Following that, Jenkins heard nothing more about him.
In February 1983, White's parents received a letter from their son, stating that he was happy in North Korea and working as an English teacher. Then, on November 5, 1985, the day of White's 24th birthday, his parents received a letter penned by one of White's North Korean friends, stating that their son had died by drowning in Ch'ongch'on River
earlier that year in August. Despite the family's requests, White's body was never returned; the letter did mention that White's body was never recovered from the water. The story of the letter conflicts with Jenkins' account of White's fate.
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
, was a private
Private (rank)
A Private is a soldier of the lowest military rank .In modern military parlance, 'Private' is shortened to 'Pte' in the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth countries and to 'Pvt.' in the United States.Notably both Sir Fitzroy MacLean and Enoch Powell are examples of, rare, rapid career...
in the United States Army
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...
who defected
Defection
In politics, a defector is a person who gives up allegiance to one state or political entity in exchange for allegiance to another. More broadly, it involves abandoning a person, cause or doctrine to whom or to which one is bound by some tie, as of allegiance or duty.This term is also applied,...
to 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...
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
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...
and was witnessed surrendering to North Korean troops by fellow U.S. soldiers. He was the last of the six known Americans to defect after the end of the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
.
North Korean authorities refused a request by UNC representatives to meet White and ask him about the reasons for his defection. North Korean authorities released a video in which White, looking uncomfortable, denounced the United States' "corruptness, criminality, immorality, weakness, and hedonism," claiming he had defected to demonstrate how "unjustifiable [it was] for the U.S. to send troops to 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...
." As White's speech was written in stilted, unnatural-sounding English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, it is widely considered that it was written by North Koreans and not by him.
Prior to White's defection, Charles Jenkins
Charles Robert Jenkins
Charles Robert Jenkins 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.-Military service and desertion:...
was the last U.S. soldier to cross the demilitarized zone
Demilitarized zone
In military terms, a demilitarized zone is an area, usually the frontier or boundary between two or more military powers , where military activity is not permitted, usually by peace treaty, armistice, or other bilateral or multilateral agreement...
into North Korea. (Roy Chung
Roy Chung
Roy 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 :...
, who deserted after Jenkins but before White, did not cross the DMZ but instead defected to East Germany and later arrived at North Korea.) Jenkins wrote in his memoirs that he never met White, but once saw him on state television at a hastily prepared press conference soon after the defection. He also wrote that plans were in the works for White to share housing with one of the other American defectors, but it eventually fell through. According to Jenkins' government minders, White suffered an epileptic seizure of some form and was left paralyzed. Following that, Jenkins heard nothing more about him.
In February 1983, White's parents received a letter from their son, stating that he was happy in North Korea and working as an English teacher. Then, on November 5, 1985, the day of White's 24th birthday, his parents received a letter penned by one of White's North Korean friends, stating that their son had died by drowning in Ch'ongch'on River
Ch'ongch'on River
The Ch'ŏngch'ŏn River is a river of North Korea having its source in the Rangrim Mountains of Chagang Province and emptying into the Yellow Sea at Sinanju. The river flows past Myohyang-san and through the city of Anju, South P'yŏngan Province...
earlier that year in August. Despite the family's requests, White's body was never returned; the letter did mention that White's body was never recovered from the water. The story of the letter conflicts with Jenkins' account of White's fate.
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 - Charles Robert JenkinsCharles Robert JenkinsCharles Robert Jenkins 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.-Military service and desertion:...
(born 1940) of Rich Square, North CarolinaRich Square, North CarolinaRich 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:...
, deserted on January 5, 1965 at age 24 - 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