Forty years in North Korean captivity: the story of an American deserter
Died the American military, who fled to North Korea 40 years to become a prisoner of Pyongyang.
Freed in 2004 from captivity, 77-year-old Charles Jenkins, together with his family moved to Japan.
Along with four other American soldiers he fled to North Korea. Deserters gained fame by acting in propaganda films. However, Jenkins was the only one who eventually managed to escape from captivity.
It is believed that others died in North Korea. Among them was James Dresnok, which is not in 2016, after suffering a stroke.
Charles Jenkins died Monday on the island of Sado, where he lived with his wife Hitomi Soga, also a former North Korean prisoner.
According to reports by Japanese media, he fell near his home and was hospitalized. Jenkins died in the hospital due to heart failure.
The widow Jenkins, words which reports the AFP news Agency, admitted that her husband’s death was a great surprise for her and she is unable to think about anything.
The plan that failed
Jenkins ‘ life in North Korea was incredible and extremely difficult. His experience he described in his memoirs and numerous interviews.
In 1965, US army Sergeant serving in the demilitarized zone on the side of South Korea. Fearing that it either is killed during a patrol, or sent to fight in Vietnam, Jenkins decided to leave and to flee across the border.
He hoped that the DPRK asylum in the Soviet Embassy. Back in the U.S. he intended to return after an exchange of prisoners.
One January night he emptied a few cans of beer and crossed the demilitarized zone. On the other side he surrendered to the North Korean military. He was only 24 years old.
Contrary to expectations, the Soviet Embassy did not grant asylum to him or others fled to the Americans. Instead, they all ended up in a North Korean prison.
Returning to that decision, I can say that was stupid. If in heaven there is a God, he took me through all tocharles, Jenkinsear si-bi-es, 2005
Prisoners were forced to study the teachings of Kim Il sung, translating and teaching English. In addition, they have become local celebrities, having played the villains from the West in a North Korean propaganda film.