A Desperate Decision
On January 5, 1965, U.S. Army Sergeant Charles Robert Jenkins, fearing deployment to Vietnam, defected to North Korea by crossing the DMZ. He planned to seek asylum at the Soviet Embassy and eventually return to the U.S. in a prisoner swap. Instead, he was arrested and forced to live in North Korea for decades.
Life Under Surveillance
Jenkins spent years under constant surveillance with three other American defectors. He was forced to teach English, appear in propaganda films, and endure indoctrination sessions. In 1980, he married Hitomi Soga, a Japanese woman abducted by North Korean agents.
An Unexpected Reunion
In 2002, after Japan secured Soga’s release, Jenkins joined her in Indonesia. He later surrendered to U.S. military authorities in Japan, facing a court-martial for desertion.
A Return to Japan
Jenkins served 25 days in military prison and settled in Japan with Soga. He lived there until his death in 2017, a man whose life had taken a unique path from his fateful decision in 1965.
The U.S. Soldier Who Defected to North Korea 🇰🇵
A Desperate Decision
On January 5, 1965, U.S. Army Sergeant Charles Robert Jenkins, fearing deployment to Vietnam, defected to North Korea by crossing the DMZ. He planned to seek asylum at the Soviet Embassy and eventually return… pic.twitter.com/bATsNe29Hr— Detective Tiger’s Stories (@TBBOB2) September 2, 2024