Posted on 07/12/2004 12:21:10 PM PDT by AmericanInTokyo
Charles Robert Jenkins, a US Army sergeant, defected to North Korea in 1965, near his post along the DMZ. He is considered a deserter by the US government.
After nearly 40 years in North Korea however, he and his two children were allowed by risk-taker and dictator Kim Jong-il to go to non-extradition treaty Indonesia on Friday, to meet his separated Japanese wife, who was kidnapped by North Korean agents years ago, and was able to get out of North Korea herself last year through Japanese government efforts.
Over the weekend, aggressive and enterprising Japanese TV crews based in Jakarta, Indonesia had uncovered the nefarious activities of three North Korean officials, who are in Jakarta following Mr. Jenkins' every move, and making sure he does not stray "too far".
These three agents have been trying to pressure the Japanese government and even Japanese journalists at the hotel to see Mr. Jenkins to "talk with him", or otherwise find out ways to 'get to the 14th floor' to see him. On the other hand, Mr. Jenkins and his family have made themselves "unavailable" to the North Koreans by Japanese authorities on site.
[Jenkins, photo]
It appears the North Koreans had an agenda to return Jenkins to Pyongyang after a short time out of "the People's Paradise", or at least control his movements so nothing embarrassing would be said or done about North Korea while he is abroad.
300k clip at: http://www.bcast.co.jp/cgi-bin/yahoo/news.asx?cid=20040712-00000054-jnn-int-movie-001&media=wm300k
56k clip at: http://www.bcast.co.jp/cgi-bin/yahoo/news.asx?cid=20040712-00000054-jnn-int-movie-001&media=wm56k
It should be noted that Jenkins faces military justice in the United States, but he did appear to ditch his Kim il Sung communist badge a day after arriving in Jakarta, and in fact does want to come to the West.
This could be an interesting international tug of war, with a man facing two equally tough fates and decisions.
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Fascinating. It is pretty self explanatory. Enjoy the video.
Don't let the SOB back into the country, leave him to the tender mercies of Kim
56k clip at: http://www.bcast.co.jp/cgi-bin/yahoo/news.asx?cid=20040712-00000054-jnn-int-movie-001&media=wm56k
American intelligence should snatch him and his wife, debrief them on some Pacific Atoll for a few months and then decide what to do with him based on the value of his information. Maybe a guilty plea, with the Army considering the time his spent in NK to count against a sentence, let him live in obscurity somewhere.
I think it would be worth debriefing him to let him come home. Then, depending on the value and reliability of the information, we could decide what to do with him. I have sincere compassion for his (kidnapped) Japanese wife and do not wish her to suffer.
Yup, and it looks like he's been kept pretty much near starvation, like everyone else in that hellhole (except Kim Jung Il himself).
They guy might know the whereabouts of American POWs in North Korea. I agree, he has intelligence value.
On the other hand, (despite him having a DPRK passport) he is a US citizen still, and subject to desertion laws. It is not so clear what we can do...I am sure the US and Japanese governments, perhaps even at the Koizumi and W level, will work something out wherein we get most of what we want and they get most of what they want. The real losers will be the DPRK, who will have lost one of theirs as well as a potential flow of info being opened up as to how they operate up there (one of the few windows we have).
Thanks! I've always wanted to learn how to do that.
I'll gladly synopsize/interpret it for you (and others) into English.
I DID like the one part of it that WAS in English...the pushy female Japanese reporter asking one of the agents "Excuse me? Hello? Are you North Korean? I think you are from North Korea? Do you speak English?"
And the somewhat nervous and pestered North Korean guy just ignoring her.
Well, call it protective custody for the wife and children until they are safely in Japanese hands, as opposed to NK hands. The children should be both Japanese and American citizens, no? Their fate must also be considered. None of them can be permitted to return to North Korea.
If I had my way, I'd have Jenkins' UCMJ sentence (if he really did defect/desert and was not kidnapped) reduced from 40 years down to about 10, in return for a major statement by him that Kim Jong-il wear's women's clothes, or some other such scandalous 'information' designed to embarrass the Great Leader internationally...oh, and of course, good, credible information on the whereabouts of other Americans up there in that Hell Hole.
I understand your sentiment, but I think we need to be practical: if we debrief him and then toss him back, that would discourage any other defectors who might want to come home with valuable information. We need to balance his undisputed crime with the help he can give us now. I'm not saying let him off, but don't harm his wife or children and don't physically harm him. We have far too few opportunities to talk with those who have been in NK for long periods of time.
Just whose custody he is in was unclear from the article. Do you mean to say he is currently under Japanese protection? What about the children? I agree we need to get the facts and balance any desire for vengence against the information he can provide.
Furthermore, the Japanese are denying any contact right now from North Korea, through their agents, to the family because "they want to be left alone". Japan feels that North Korea may threaten the three to return to the DPRK if things begin to look bad for them. Even on the flight down from Pyongyang, Jenkins was visited in his seat about three or four time by the 'shadows'. Who know's what they were saying? I don't know.
For all intents they are guests of the Government of Indonesia with the escort confines of the Government of Japan.
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