I was born in the USA, received a good education, was able to work a good job and am now retired at 53. I 100% feel I was one of the 10 % most fortunate people on the planet.
So he was 66 at the time of the interview, but he looked 80+ to me. These 39 years had been taking its toll, and it was a miracle he made it to freedom.
I see him more as a guy who had ten beers and made a catastrophic mistake. He paid for that far worse than a court martial. Hopefully he has some peace now.
His life is downright depressing, I just read his wikipedia page now I feel sad for him. He didn't even want to live in North Korea, he just wanted to go home.
Me too. And I am a stone cold killer. Just reminds me of the 20 years I did in prison, and how I wish I could have seen my mother. Unfortunately she passed years prior to my release.
The love story between Charles and Hitomi is so touching. What a precious and beautiful gift that they found eachother in the midst of such a horrible situation. It's a very sweet story, especially their happy ending!
don't think it's a love story...more stockholm syndrome. She was KIDNAPPED. He was a crimial & rap%st! I don't feel a shred of sympathy for him. He knew what he was doing!
@@apt5044he offered her a divorce and she refused it. She obviously loved him. They was both outsiders to a strange place so it pretty sane to see why they would go grow close plus have adult children
@@apt5044 You sound very angry, bitter and just full of vitriol. Surely a women who found some comfort in a horrific situation they both shared was a victim of stockholm syndrome. As Jenkins said himself "I've repaid my debt to society". If you'd read his book you'd know full well how that went, it wasn't easy, it wasn't great, but he did what he needed to and was put on trial. At the end of the day Hitomi was a massive force behind Charles coming home, and worked extensively with both the US and Japanese government to advocate for him after she'd returned to japan in 2002. Considering Charles went on to live out the rest of his days in Japan with his family, i'd say they both sincerely loved each other. You can have your opinion, but you shouldn't be so dismissive over it to smear a now dead man.
Oh my god, I am so happy that his mother got to see him and her granddaughters. This so sad. I wish all the best to Hitomi andd her daughters and may sir Charles and his mother rest in peace, they are now finally together
The comments make me sad. Personally I am a humanist, I don't care for nationalism just individuals. Yes he deserted, but he did not exactly have a nice ride. He suffered every last bit of his desertion. He did not fire or want to fire at his fellow soilders. He was effectively a prisoner with perks for the mistake of cold feet. So when I look at all this and see the reaction of Jenkins and his wife as well as his mum. I did get a lump in my throat because that there is legitimate love and happiness that came from grief. He knows he did wrong, suffered for it, owned up for it and even tells people he is not a hero for it. As far as I am concerned that is an example of a true and honest man who regrets his decisions...So why shit on it? People who don't own up get rewarded now days, did you want him to just deny everything and be unapologetic?
@@W.Stryker I do hope you are not American....if you are that's actually ironicly funny. Your response was 'well go to North Korea' rather then going 'No. Americans are not that nationalistic, I am not'. UK and Europe do kinda rip US nationalism and do it openly both with common people and in entertainment. Its considered abit 'much' and is actually associated with more far right politics here. Even though its just in US culture both left and right.
He was a young man who made a foolish mistake. And suffered the regret of that mistake in ways none of us have ever been forced to suffer. One thing is certain. There is no power this side of heaven stronger than a mother’s love.
That last bit with his mom hits your hard in the feels. Can respect he admits he made a terrible mistake and he paid a hell of a price it sounds like for that mistake. On top of that he reported to the army knowing they could have chosen to make an example out of him.
Absolutely touching story how they stayed together and escaped. Glad to see he did his duty and reported himself to the military authorities. Lucky he had the chance to own up to it. I'm impressed by the fact that he reported and the fact he offered to dissolve the marriage. I don't encourage doing anything wrong but anyone who has the guts to face what they did deserves some small bit of respect.
Sorry but he deserved everything the Koreans did to him and more. Think of the American soldiers his age who died bravely. They should have never even attempted to allow him to try to Garner sympathy through the American hating liberal media.
I happened to see Charles Jenkins at the Camp Zama PX one day and was struck by how tiny he was. I don't think he could have been more than 5'5", maybe less.
I lived on the base he had to report to in Japan. During an intel interrogation, it was found that he wasn’t as useful as the North Koreans thought because he only had a 5th grade level of education. The wife and two daughters avoided any socialization on the base. Had MP with them all the time.
@@zingwilder9989 not surprised. I’m Korean-American myself and I’ve heard stories from North Korean runaways that live up to the speculations and stories we all heard through media. It’s a mess over there and the soldier that just recently crossed the border, I’ll be surprised if he ever gets turned over to the US.
@@jmc224 I agree. The move that Travis King made was arrogant and thoughtless. He's a willful defector and fugitive from US military justice. He's not worth the trade of a pack of chewing gum. By the way, thank you for your comment on Jenkins. It's always great to hear from someone who was personally present when things happened.
I'm familiar with Joseph White. He defected while I was in the Army, stationed in Germany. It was reported that he drowned in 1985, but no one really knows for sure.@@TJ-vd7eq
I've seen the Dresnok documentary and I've read Jenkins' book and clearly someone is lying. I figure it's probably Dresnok because he could get into trouble for not saying the right thing since he's still in NK. Jenkins didn't benefit from lying about Dresnok at all.
@E Smidt One of my favorite places! I visited the Bluegrass region some years ago. Beautiful part of the country. I love Berea and all the artisan studios! Unbridled Spirit indeed!
Completely irrelevant topic, but does anyone notice that his accent is very different than the accent of his sister. His accent seems like a southern accent from the 1950s/1960s and his sisters accent seems like a generation later.
Ive been to the DMZ. It's a very depressing place to be. It's cold. Security is super tight. And as of the last few years, the soldiers are only allowed to have a drink under specific circumstances. It's not uncommon for troops (US troops aren't the only ones stationed there) to develop extreme cases of cabin fever. These days, all the US troops are required to watch a series of videos when they arrive. One video shows what is supposedly an American walking across a bridge towards North Korea...where he's ambushed and hacked to death with machetes by North Korean soldiers. I get that these guys were stir crazy. Im surprised that it took 4 defections to North Korea for the Army to realize they need mental health professionals stationed at the DMZ. But the US military isnt very smart when it comes to taking care of their own. But they're experts at sending us to slaughter.
That's doesn't sound like a Korean accent at all. Sounds like fluent Korean being spoken in a heavy North Carolina drawl. Joe Dresnok (the other American defector) once said that Dresnok's Korean skills were below those of his fellow American defectors. If you have the chance, listen to Dresnok speaking Korean and you'll hear the difference right away (Dresnok's Korean accent sounded like a native speaker).
@@SarsTheSecond I am a South Korean.. I can t understand his words. either. even though I am a native Korean..His accent and words are so different between South and North Korean..
@@진공관-e5w It's what I call lazy linguistics. He knows the words but kept his English accent. It is definitely possible to hide the thick accent while speaking another language but he didn't put in the effort or care to I guess.
@@johneyon5257 dude I wrote that when I was a kid 😂 my opinions different now why comment on a two year old comment and tell me to rewatch something 😂 life sucks and people are tits back then I wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt but hey I was stupid
@@aimeeplaysSimsNthings - a 15 or 150 year old comment stays written - representing your position to any reader happens up it - while your change of heart is secret until you post it - now you have - you shouldn't get any more comments
Bad decisions don't make bad people. Refusing to admit your mistake, take ownership of your actions and work to do things that show you are humbled to them, would make you a bad person.
Hey Oliver. This man may have betrayed his country. But like Anakin Skywalker from Star Wars he redeemed himself. I also read that he saw other people who were abducted and who may still be trapped in North Korea. He revealed that some missing people were still there. Doing that does not make me see him as a traitor. Yes he left his men behind but being willing to accept the consequences of actions and take responsibility for it makes me forgive him. Besides he gave the families of some of those still abducted people hope that one day they too could come back so how can you hate someone for doing that. I hope the Good Lord saves him a special spot in Heaven for him. His story should be made into a movie. Thanks for keeping this up bro. Rest in Peace Mr.Jenkins.
Say what you want but this man regretted what he did and I think he found forgiveness before he left this world. Also Why are you looking at a one year old comment?
Mr. Jenkins' visit to Japan was a shock If you go to Sado Island in Japan, you will find Mr. Jenkins's grave At that time, jokes with Mr. Jenkins and sushi were popular in Japan Jenkins + Sushi = Jenkin Sushi
Why is Jenkins + sushi a joke? I know some Japanese, but probably insufficient to get this. Is there some kind of wordplay? 「ジェンキン寿司」は何で面白いことですか？日本語で答えてもいいです。
At least this guy was facing real combat. All Travis King had to do was stay out of bar fights but he couldn't do that. Wonder if he'll live long enough to escape. We have all these videos at our fingertips yet history repeats itself.
Indeed--and while the truth is likely somewhere in between their respective accounts, as it tends to be, personally I have to say that I find Jenkins and his story to be somewhat more credible than Dresnok. (And not merely because, as an American, we're conditioned by default to believe only the most outlandish horror stories about the DPRK.) Jenkins seemed in all the videos and other press coverage to be genuine, warm, sincerely remorseful, and just very human, decent and personable all around, if not the sharpest tool in the shed. Dresnok, though, gave off a very different impression. In Crossing the Line, he came across as perceptive and good-humored, but also extremely catty (cast aspersions and made snide cutting remarks about basically every other American defector, sometimes rather subtlely), smug, disingenuous (I got the sense that Dresnok was considerably more intelligent than he wanted anyone to believe), conniving and a bit entitled. Now I don't condemn Dresnok outright or begrudge his reasons for defecting per se, but frankly the man came off as somewhat of a snake, perhaps with personality disorder traits (case in point, the incident with Jenkins' wife, and forging the pass...). There was just a more sinister air about him, and I think it's telling that there was basically nobody from his pre-defection life with a single positive word to say about him. That combined with the fact that Dresnok remained forever steadfastly loyal to the Kim regime, and I'm much more inclined to believe Jenkins honestly. That all said, Jenkins' rationale, story about and logic behind his initial decision to defect makes by far the least sense of all those guys, and that raises some questions for me. I get that none of them were exactly geniuses to begin with, but that part of Jenkins's narrative is especially convoluted and there are some weird leaps in logic made, which makes me wonder...perhaps he was actually running away from something more personal that would look less honorable than fear of being sent to Vietnam, like the rest of them, or was curious about the ideology etc. but immediately realized the mistake, and stuck to the version he told to make his motives seem more sympathetic in hindsight. I still need to read his autobiography--it's on my to-read list for this autumn--and maybe it'll come together, but to my current knowledge of it, Jenkins' account of why he defected in the first place is a little shady, doesn't quite add up. In any case, he certainly paid a horribly heavy price for that decision, whatever his true motivations in the beginning, and it's to his credit that he was willing to share his experience with the world. May all of those men rest in peace.
This shows how human he is. He is no intentional traitor (the way Dresnok) etc. was. He simply was too scared to be in provocative maneuvers by the US Army in Korea. This shows us how great America is, despite our criticisms of our great country.
Personally, I have only little respect for Charles Jenkins because he did not have any second thoughts before he decided to defect to North Korea in 1965 anyway. That guy should have known better and I see no reason to forgive him.
This interviewer is treating Jenkins like he was a POW. The man went to North Korea of his own free will and by all accounts led a charmed life there, compared with the general population. I'm sorry but I'm not going to jump on the sympathy train for this one.
"compared with the general population" that's an astonishingly low bar He has only himself to blame for what he went through, but I think it's a bit of a stretch to say that he deserved to be subject to 24/7 brainwashing, being beaten for the tiniest ounce of disobedience, totally and completely unable to communicate with his family, and (lets not forget) having a chunk of his skin ripped off of him for desertion. I don't think anybody who simply goes AWOL gets that harsh of a punishment from the military In the end, he realized how gravely naive and wrong he was, and he owned up to his mistake by reporting back to the US Army after being set free. So I think it's fair to have sympathy for this guy, because however responsible he was for his actions, what he went through still sucked pretty bad
@@Luey_Luey well said, I agree with you entirely. People can try to belittle his story and bring him down because he might've gotten "preferential" treatment, but honestly he suffered pretty profoundly both psychologically and beyond in the constant brainwashing him and his fellow foreigners were forced to endure, and more importantly the harm the DPRK intentionally brought to him.
Sir you were not a prisoner you were a defector. big difference. All of us who have worn this country's uniform with honor will make sure you remember that. I am glad his mother got to see him again.
I read his book “The Reluctant Communist” in one day! I just couldn’t put it down.. Feel very sorry for the man (he’s dead now) and his wife but I’m glad they managed to get out of their North Korean prison.
A South Korean friend of mine says he can hardly understand it due to Jenkins' poor pronunciation. Something to do with "Juche" (Kim Il-Sung's political philosophy). Other Korean-speaking commenters here have said the same thing.
As a Korean, the part where he spoke Korean interested me, so I played that part again and again but could only understand a few words. I even looked up what he recited (probably the introduction of North Korea's Ideaology Textbook?) Only then did I figure out his sentences. If you're a native English speaker, can you tell me what his mom says at the end of the video? Jenkins : Mama...(weeps) Yeah baby.... how did (unintelligeable) ........? Jenkins : it's hard. very difficult, it's hard. I am so curious to know what was said here.. Thanks.
@@smakkdat thank you, for taking the time to dictate her words, which I found almost impossible to make out.. even though I am working as a translator in Korea
@@박경민-o3s yes, that's what she says "i didn't think you'd ever get here" but don't worry for not understanding, we all have moments when we speak so incomprehensible that people ask "what ? " or sometimes you may be the one asking "what?" lol, haven't you got that in korean with your native koreans ? especially when drunk, lol.
It's not so hard to understand why he defected. I had the grave misfortune of being in the u.s. army in the 1960's. It was like a prison term. Jenkins looks like a typical NCO ( No Chance Outside ) from that miserable era. The problem was the army was where the draft sent most of the draftees. They were usually from the poor and under educated segments of society. And they had to be 'handled' and not lead by competent leadership which was almost non-existent because some of these leaders had to be drawn from the bottom of the barrel that was called the army. Back then it was 'keep them boots shined' and 'get that thar hare cut'. There was no motivation to conform since you still had to put up with threats, degradation from the NCO's and the officer corps. They didn't lead or motivate, they pushed and intimidated. the army was a great place for low IQ losers who would at best have menial or semi-skilled jobs on the outside. We called these career individuals "lifers" What this isn't showing about 'sar'ent' Jenkins is that he was one of the lifers who couldn't keep his mouth shut and was likely an alcoholic as the majority of them were. I can understand that very well. If I had to become an army lifer I'd get drunk a lot too or maybe use drugs. It isn't a place for anyone with any ambition of brains.
@WmGood you must be pretty damn miserable to type all that negative sh*t up about some old timer who was obviously happier than you for the remainder of his life with his family and for someone who probably won't even see this comment. Loser
@@brucemcdonald6677 You're so goddamn idiotic. I read the entire story of this man just the other day after watching this, he left nothing off the table and in his time in North Korea he truly experienced terrible things. You can call him a traitor but i think even if he was he made peace with the military, united states and his captors once he left. And by his own account he was well known for nothing being any sort of communist sympathizer. I think what i can fill you in on after reading his book is this, even up to the very end he was incredibly stressed--by his wife being away from him in japan, by the north koreans having a hold on his daughters(who they were trying to train as spies against his wishes before the Japanese stepped in back in 2002 up until they left in 2004), and the gun to his head that the north koreans had on him in terms of holding his life in their hands. He served his time as sentenced to him by the US army, he repaid his debt to american society, and i genuinely think his story has done serious good because at the time and even now it's brought major attention to the disgusting abductions the North Koreans took up against many foreign nationals(though mostly approached only by the Japanese government). If he's a traitor then you're a goddamn a##hole for not trying to see the good his legacy has done and that for all the grief of his life, that he could give back somehow. Truly an amazing man.
No matter what wrongs you have done in your life , weather it is out of stupidity or necessity a parent ALWAYS forgives their child. I had long hair earrings and Greek tattoos all over me and when I saw my mother after all these dark years , all my stress all my darkness were washed away in an instant. My mother is elderly and I am 57, I have two kids and a girlfriend who finally appreciates me for me BUT to my mother I will ALWAYS be her baby boy God bless this man’s mother and for FINALLY be reuniting with her baby boy
So you volunteered to go back there for a second time. But defected because you wanted to go home? Good he righted a wrong. But don’t think he’s telling the full truth.
Leo Africanus That video is wrong and probably from misreported information. I met Jenkins four months before he passed away and asked him about it. He said that because he didn’t speak Japanese, he couldn’t become a citizen.
![ไข้ขึ้นเลย! เมื่อแฝดโดนจัดเต็มวัคซีนครบ2เดือน🤒 [cc] แดนแพทตี้ SS2 | EP.54 |](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/z2VHItnyyvY/mqdefault.jpg)
As a Russian immigrant to the US - people born in America take for granted how good they have it.
That’s human nature for you
I agree.
100% agree. As an American who travels abroad, it’s actually disheartening. To be honest.
I quote Lee Greenwood, "God bless the USA!".
I was born in the USA, received a good education, was able to work a good job and am now retired at 53. I 100% feel I was one of the 10 % most fortunate people on the planet.
I am glad his mother got to see him again. A man can redeem himself and come back from a dark place. May he rest in peace.
Fuck this guy
Fuck your life
Yeah. what a thrill that must have been.
I was bawling when he and his mom reunited
If my son defected to North Korea I would never want to speak to him again.
So he was 66 at the time of the interview, but he looked 80+ to me. These 39 years had been taking its toll, and it was a miracle he made it to freedom.
He looked old even as a child.
Nah, white people just age faster
@@anthonyl9126 😆
Dresnok said he looked wrinkled when they first met in the north and was surprised to learn Jenkins was only a year his senior.
@@Pe6ek 1:24 That's a photo of him at age 2.
I see him more as a guy who had ten beers and made a catastrophic mistake. He paid for that far worse than a court martial. Hopefully he has some peace now.
When this old fellow hugged his mom, he was definitely back in time as a boy.
his wife wanting to stay with him and reuniting with his mother. tears were hitting my floor like rain drops
This should be turned into a movie, the story is so rich
Seeing his 90 year old mom and her him was out of this world. Man that really moved me. I’m glad I got to experience that.
Yeah, I felt the same.
for just a moment, he was a young lad again
Word salad 🥗
His life is downright depressing, I just read his wikipedia page now I feel sad for him. He didn't even want to live in North Korea, he just wanted to go home.
Not many things can bring me to tears but, the ending when he saw his mother, I lost it.
Me too. And I am a stone cold killer.
Just reminds me of the 20 years I did in prison, and how I wish I could have seen my mother. Unfortunately she passed years prior to my release.
@@ayoutubecommenter1827 I'm sorry to hear that. I hope you think of that next time you want to take a life.
What does her mother say at the end? She's cute
Yeah that made me actually cry when he said "mama".
@@gabriel-iz6wz First thing I think she says is calls him her baby, then says "I didn't think you'd ever get here!"
The love story between Charles and Hitomi is so touching. What a precious and beautiful gift that they found eachother in the midst of such a horrible situation. It's a very sweet story, especially their happy ending!
don't think it's a love story...more stockholm syndrome. She was KIDNAPPED. He was a crimial & rap%st! I don't feel a shred of sympathy for him. He knew what he was doing!
@@apt5044he offered her a divorce and she refused it. She obviously loved him. They was both outsiders to a strange place so it pretty sane to see why they would go grow close plus have adult children
@@apt5044 You sound very angry, bitter and just full of vitriol.
Surely a women who found some comfort in a horrific situation they both shared was a victim of stockholm syndrome.
As Jenkins said himself "I've repaid my debt to society".
If you'd read his book you'd know full well how that went, it wasn't easy, it wasn't great, but he did what he needed to and was put on trial.
At the end of the day Hitomi was a massive force behind Charles coming home, and worked extensively with both the US and Japanese government to advocate for him after she'd returned to japan in 2002.
Considering Charles went on to live out the rest of his days in Japan with his family, i'd say they both sincerely loved each other.
You can have your opinion, but you shouldn't be so dismissive over it to smear a now dead man.
They were both victims of rape... can't tell if this is trolling or what @@apt5044
“Didn’t know what a Big Mac was” that was probably the best thing that ever happened to him.
Yeah. Freedom sucks. And he was like 65 in this interview and looked 85. Not exactly the portrait of health and fitness
@@spanky9676 Yeah there is such a thing as not enough empty calories. That's one problem the American diet has dealt with in a big way.
Not gunna lie, I teared up when he hugged his mom and said “Momma”. Damn…
Him and His wife are actually one of the most beautiful love stories I've ever heard
Oh my god, I am so happy that his mother got to see him and her granddaughters. This so sad. I wish all the best to Hitomi andd her daughters and may sir Charles and his mother rest in peace, they are now finally together
The comments make me sad. Personally I am a humanist, I don't care for nationalism just individuals. Yes he deserted, but he did not exactly have a nice ride. He suffered every last bit of his desertion. He did not fire or want to fire at his fellow soilders. He was effectively a prisoner with perks for the mistake of cold feet.
So when I look at all this and see the reaction of Jenkins and his wife as well as his mum. I did get a lump in my throat because that there is legitimate love and happiness that came from grief.
He knows he did wrong, suffered for it, owned up for it and even tells people he is not a hero for it. As far as I am concerned that is an example of a true and honest man who regrets his decisions...So why shit on it? People who don't own up get rewarded now days, did you want him to just deny everything and be unapologetic?
exaclty. a fool, yes. a coward... idk most people commenting will never experience the life an death choices of a soldier during war.
Only Americans comment things about him being a traitor and deserving death. Pathetic nationalists.
Doge Coin then go to North Korea. I’m sure they’d welcome you
@@W.Stryker I do hope you are not American....if you are that's actually ironicly funny. Your response was 'well go to North Korea' rather then going 'No. Americans are not that nationalistic, I am not'. UK and Europe do kinda rip US nationalism and do it openly both with common people and in entertainment. Its considered abit 'much' and is actually associated with more far right politics here. Even though its just in US culture both left and right.
He was a young man who made a foolish mistake. And suffered the regret of that mistake in ways none of us have ever been forced to suffer. One thing is certain. There is no power this side of heaven stronger than a mother’s love.
That last bit with his mom hits your hard in the feels. Can respect he admits he made a terrible mistake and he paid a hell of a price it sounds like for that mistake. On top of that he reported to the army knowing they could have chosen to make an example out of him.
Wow! I’m crying. I don’t think he was a traitor, rather he was a silly young man. Beautiful wife.
One of only a few persons on earth with a North Carolina/Korean accent
Ya that Korean accent comes out so well through that NC twag. Are you deaf bro?
Charles Robert Jenkins is more of a man than Dresnok ever was.
Absolutely touching story how they stayed together and escaped. Glad to see he did his duty and reported himself to the military authorities. Lucky he had the chance to own up to it. I'm impressed by the fact that he reported and the fact he offered to dissolve the marriage. I don't encourage doing anything wrong but anyone who has the guts to face what they did deserves some small bit of respect.
Sorry but he deserved everything the Koreans did to him and more. Think of the American soldiers his age who died bravely. They should have never even attempted to allow him to try to Garner sympathy through the American hating liberal media.
@@vitocorleone8323Vietnam was a pointless war and every one of the 58,000+ Americans that died there was a pointless death.
Forgive those who make mistakes. This poor man finally achieved success in life. A loving wife and he got to see his mother.
I happened to see Charles Jenkins at the Camp Zama PX one day and was struck by how tiny he was. I don't think he could have been more than 5'5", maybe less.
That traitorous prick had access to the base but I go and get an honorable discharge and I can't even step into the base taco bell
And he's eyes look Asian!!
Everything is so emotional, I finally burst into tears when Charles reunited with his mother
I lived on the base he had to report to in Japan. During an intel interrogation, it was found that he wasn’t as useful as the North Koreans thought because he only had a 5th grade level of education. The wife and two daughters avoided any socialization on the base. Had MP with them all the time.
He and the others were no more than North Korean pets... and at times those pets got abused.
@@zingwilder9989 not surprised. I’m Korean-American myself and I’ve heard stories from North Korean runaways that live up to the speculations and stories we all heard through media. It’s a mess over there and the soldier that just recently crossed the border, I’ll be surprised if he ever gets turned over to the US.
@@jmc224 I agree. The move that Travis King made was arrogant and thoughtless. He's a willful defector and fugitive from US military justice. He's not worth the trade of a pack of chewing gum. By the way, thank you for your comment on Jenkins. It's always great to hear from someone who was personally present when things happened.
@@zingwilder9989 But you don't mention the other one Joseph white. He did not last long.
I'm familiar with Joseph White. He defected while I was in the Army, stationed in Germany. It was reported that he drowned in 1985, but no one really knows for sure.@@TJ-vd7eq
He got to see his mother. So glad she lived long enoughnro see him
Made it all the way to the end, emotions in check. But for some odd reason, it just started raining exclusively in my eyes, in that last min, or so!
Me too. Well and when his wife said she wanted to stay with him, a bit there too.
After reading his book and looking into dresnoks account of what happened I don't know what to believe but it sure is fascinating
Dresnok was a confirmed liar who would beat up the other American GIs whenever they disagreed
Dresnok looks like a bad egg.
Dresnok was a worthless prick.
I've seen the Dresnok documentary and I've read Jenkins' book and clearly someone is lying. I figure it's probably Dresnok because he could get into trouble for not saying the right thing since he's still in NK. Jenkins didn't benefit from lying about Dresnok at all.
Clearly dresnok can't say wat he wants to say so I believe Jenkins
That poor poor soul, I can’t imagine anyone on earth never trying a Big Mac 😔
Kkona Clap
MickeyDs blows he's lucky in that part
The fish fillet is good.
Not eating a Big Mac is a punishment he avoided.
I've never tried one I know crazy right 😂
Sad but amazing story at the same time. May he rest in peace
Will someone make a film version of his life
I am glad he was able to live in Japan with his wife's family. He is at peace now I hope happily.
He had an excuse for what he did; he was drunk and probably not thinking straight. He certainly paid for his indiscretion many times over.
@E Smidt Neither do I. Dresnok was a traitor and a deserter.
@E Smidt One of my favorite places! I visited the Bluegrass region some years ago. Beautiful part of the country. I love Berea and all the artisan studios! Unbridled Spirit indeed!
@E Smidt New Orleans, LA but currently live in Texas.
@E Smidt Thank you friend. May you and yours stay safe also.
Completely irrelevant topic, but does anyone notice that his accent is very different than the accent of his sister. His accent seems like a southern accent from the 1950s/1960s and his sisters accent seems like a generation later.
He never developed from the 1960s if you think about it
Ive been to the DMZ. It's a very depressing place to be. It's cold. Security is super tight. And as of the last few years, the soldiers are only allowed to have a drink under specific circumstances. It's not uncommon for troops (US troops aren't the only ones stationed there) to develop extreme cases of cabin fever. These days, all the US troops are required to watch a series of videos when they arrive. One video shows what is supposedly an American walking across a bridge towards North Korea...where he's ambushed and hacked to death with machetes by North Korean soldiers. I get that these guys were stir crazy. Im surprised that it took 4 defections to North Korea for the Army to realize they need mental health professionals stationed at the DMZ. But the US military isnt very smart when it comes to taking care of their own. But they're experts at sending us to slaughter.
It was a real video or just made to give an example???
Cold in the winter, but I was there last week and it was 36°C / 96.8F
I've been there. Seen it. It's a horrible and terrifying and depressing place.
I served 2 1year tours at a place called Camp Liberty Bell(DMZ). It was the best place served in the Army
Redemption is hard. Love is hard. Both are worth it. Welcome home. RIP
So when are they making this a movie?
Wow his Korean accent
That's doesn't sound like a Korean accent at all. Sounds like fluent Korean being spoken in a heavy North Carolina drawl. Joe Dresnok (the other American defector) once said that Dresnok's Korean skills were below those of his fellow American defectors. If you have the chance, listen to Dresnok speaking Korean and you'll hear the difference right away (Dresnok's Korean accent sounded like a native speaker).
@@sean2015 His Korean sounded like Arabic to me.
Sars The Second yeah Jenkins didn’t have great language skills
@@SarsTheSecond I am a South Korean.. I can t understand his words. either. even though I am a native Korean..His accent and words are so different between South and North Korean..
@@진공관-e5w It's what I call lazy linguistics. He knows the words but kept his English accent. It is definitely possible to hide the thick accent while speaking another language but he didn't put in the effort or care to I guess.
We can’t judge others unless we’ve walked in their shoes
he came back to tell us - don't follow my footsteps - why try watching the interview again - but stay awake this time
@@johneyon5257 dude I wrote that when I was a kid 😂 my opinions different now why comment on a two year old comment and tell me to rewatch something 😂 life sucks and people are tits back then I wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt but hey I was stupid
@@aimeeplaysSimsNthings - a 15 or 150 year old comment stays written - representing your position to any reader happens up it - while your change of heart is secret until you post it - now you have - you shouldn't get any more comments
Drinking and fear is a tough combination.
Bad decisions don't make bad people. Refusing to admit your mistake, take ownership of your actions and work to do things that show you are humbled to them, would make you a bad person.
Living in North Korea is the prison sentence for escaping to North Korea. Glad he managed to make it out at all.
Wow I started bawling at the end and I do not cry from shows/movies often.
Hey Oliver. This man may have betrayed his country. But like Anakin Skywalker from Star Wars he redeemed himself. I also read that he saw other people who were abducted and who may still be trapped in North Korea. He revealed that some missing people were still there. Doing that does not make me see him as a traitor. Yes he left his men behind but being willing to accept the consequences of actions and take responsibility for it makes me forgive him. Besides he gave the families of some of those still abducted people hope that one day they too could come back so how can you hate someone for doing that. I hope the Good Lord saves him a special spot in Heaven for him. His story should be made into a movie. Thanks for keeping this up bro. Rest in Peace Mr.Jenkins.
Lol! Comparison to a fantasy character! Stupid analogy!
Say what you want but this man regretted what he did and I think he found forgiveness before he left this world. Also Why are you looking at a one year old comment?
@@randymoran67 the whole point of his comment flew WAY over ur head😂
@@ankithmani4599 Flew it's stupid comparison ! Use real life scenarios to make a better point! You emos are funny
Just like in SpongeBob
So glad he got to see his mummy
he was 91 when he reunited with his mother
@@Chaingun ....Which is really odd since his mother was 91 also.
cool vid. thank you for uploading it.
“Jenkins in Wonderland”
Jenkins in Bizzaro land
Jenkins in Death land
I want to hug him, you can tell he’s been through so so much. I’m so happy he got to hug his mom🥺
Everyone can make mistakes. It's good to see restoration. That's what life is all about. Restoration.
I've done some shit after smashing 10 beers, but this bloke is next level
It took 80 years but he won that game of truth or dare
😂
Pell sounds stunned when Jenkins says he felt good to be back in a U.S. uniform.
As a kid, he looked like the Banjo hillbilly kid from The Deliverance.
The love between him and his wife was true love. I’m so happy they reunited
The moment he saw he's Mom, that was the icing on the cake
When folks like this have been through worst states than in prison because of their actions you got to take that into consideration
Given the circumstances he found love and had a family in a place that's horrible so good for them
27seconds what did he really say. Have a listen
Did Jenkins showed you the scar of when they removed his tattoo?
Frank Miranda He was wearing a short sleeve shirt, so yes, I saw it.
@@oliverjia1014 you met him?
@@DeCaYsF read the description asshat
I kinda wish he could have seen his mom without the cameras...but it was also amazing to be able to witness it.
ジェンキンスさんは日本に来て幸せだったのかな？
77歳で亡くなるなんて・・・亡くなるのが早過ぎる。
でも、北朝鮮から出国した事で、彼は自由の身になれて、母親と再会できた事はとても幸せな事だと思う。
I think he was happy at least
I've got a story of being locked up in Mississippi at 18 in 1973 for a year never charged almost as bad.
Mr. Jenkins' visit to Japan was a shock
If you go to Sado Island in Japan, you will find Mr. Jenkins's grave
At that time, jokes with Mr. Jenkins and sushi were popular in Japan
Jenkins + Sushi = Jenkin Sushi
Why is Jenkins + sushi a joke? I know some Japanese, but probably insufficient to get this. Is there some kind of wordplay? 「ジェンキン寿司」は何で面白いことですか？日本語で答えてもいいです。
@@Seaman1010
It's pun
In Japan, the name sushi is used as the name of the sushi restaurant
@@二木順平 aaaa, lol, i get it. different type of humor but i get it, lol.
if i ever go to Japan i hope i can visit his grave.
At least this guy was facing real combat. All Travis King had to do was stay out of bar fights but he couldn't do that. Wonder if he'll live long enough to escape. We have all these videos at our fingertips yet history repeats itself.
James Dresnok, one of the other deserters, had a completely different take on Jenkins.
Fuck him, Dresnok was a bastard
Jenkins realized he made a mistake.....Dreznok embraced North Korea...
@@themanfromthesouth1861 okay kid...
@@Darusdei I'm 23
Indeed--and while the truth is likely somewhere in between their respective accounts, as it tends to be, personally I have to say that I find Jenkins and his story to be somewhat more credible than Dresnok. (And not merely because, as an American, we're conditioned by default to believe only the most outlandish horror stories about the DPRK.)
Jenkins seemed in all the videos and other press coverage to be genuine, warm, sincerely remorseful, and just very human, decent and personable all around, if not the sharpest tool in the shed. Dresnok, though, gave off a very different impression. In Crossing the Line, he came across as perceptive and good-humored, but also extremely catty (cast aspersions and made snide cutting remarks about basically every other American defector, sometimes rather subtlely), smug, disingenuous (I got the sense that Dresnok was considerably more intelligent than he wanted anyone to believe), conniving and a bit entitled.
Now I don't condemn Dresnok outright or begrudge his reasons for defecting per se, but frankly the man came off as somewhat of a snake, perhaps with personality disorder traits (case in point, the incident with Jenkins' wife, and forging the pass...). There was just a more sinister air about him, and I think it's telling that there was basically nobody from his pre-defection life with a single positive word to say about him. That combined with the fact that Dresnok remained forever steadfastly loyal to the Kim regime, and I'm much more inclined to believe Jenkins honestly.
That all said, Jenkins' rationale, story about and logic behind his initial decision to defect makes by far the least sense of all those guys, and that raises some questions for me. I get that none of them were exactly geniuses to begin with, but that part of Jenkins's narrative is especially convoluted and there are some weird leaps in logic made, which makes me wonder...perhaps he was actually running away from something more personal that would look less honorable than fear of being sent to Vietnam, like the rest of them, or was curious about the ideology etc. but immediately realized the mistake, and stuck to the version he told to make his motives seem more sympathetic in hindsight. I still need to read his autobiography--it's on my to-read list for this autumn--and maybe it'll come together, but to my current knowledge of it, Jenkins' account of why he defected in the first place is a little shady, doesn't quite add up. In any case, he certainly paid a horribly heavy price for that decision, whatever his true motivations in the beginning, and it's to his credit that he was willing to share his experience with the world. May all of those men rest in peace.
North Carolinians good people, Arkansas native, resident of Wilmington, NC for 10 years. Nothing's perfect, but that's the truth
This shows how human he is. He is no intentional traitor (the way Dresnok) etc. was. He simply was too scared to be in provocative maneuvers by the US Army in Korea. This shows us how great America is, despite our criticisms of our great country.
Personally, I have only little respect for Charles Jenkins because he did not have any second thoughts before he decided to defect to North Korea in 1965 anyway. That guy should have known better and I see no reason to forgive him.
Dude he was 20
@@romanrodriguez3643 Well, excuse me for that.
I believe him. What a brave man
So interesting to see a white guy speak the same language and sound.
Everyone makes mistakes. He had a unique life.
if you actually paid attention to the interview - he would have traded in that "unique life" for one less mistake
I'm m so happy his 90+ year old mother was lucid when they were reunited and she got her son back
This interviewer is treating Jenkins like he was a POW. The man went to North Korea of his own free will and by all accounts led a charmed life there, compared with the general population.
I'm sorry but I'm not going to jump on the sympathy train for this one.
"compared with the general population"
that's an astonishingly low bar
He has only himself to blame for what he went through, but I think it's a bit of a stretch to say that he deserved to be subject to 24/7 brainwashing, being beaten for the tiniest ounce of disobedience, totally and completely unable to communicate with his family, and (lets not forget) having a chunk of his skin ripped off of him for desertion. I don't think anybody who simply goes AWOL gets that harsh of a punishment from the military
In the end, he realized how gravely naive and wrong he was, and he owned up to his mistake by reporting back to the US Army after being set free. So I think it's fair to have sympathy for this guy, because however responsible he was for his actions, what he went through still sucked pretty bad
@@Luey_Luey well said,
I agree with you entirely.
People can try to belittle his story and bring him down because he might've gotten "preferential" treatment, but honestly he suffered pretty profoundly both psychologically and beyond in the constant brainwashing him and his fellow foreigners were forced to endure, and more importantly the harm the DPRK intentionally brought to him.
wow that ending... 😭😭😭
Private king is wondering right now, "i was a foul" 😂😂
I'm proud to have him as a fellow North Carolinian
i take no pride in the fact that he's a fellow american - nor would i take pride if he were from the same state as me
Sir you were not a prisoner you were a defector. big difference. All of us who have worn this country's uniform with honor will make sure you remember that. I am glad his mother got to see him again.
A very powerful story
As much his cowardliness angers me for what he put his family through I cannot but think he paid for it in spades.
Lucky bastard still found love still.
I read his book “The Reluctant Communist” in one day!
I just couldn’t put it down..
Feel very sorry for the man (he’s dead now) and his wife but I’m glad they managed to get out of their North Korean prison.
"I didnt think youd eva getchere, ha ha." I like Mama. I like Mama alot, based on 2 seconds of seeing her.
Does anyone who speaks Korean know what he says at 4:33?
A South Korean friend of mine says he can hardly understand it due to Jenkins' poor pronunciation. Something to do with "Juche" (Kim Il-Sung's political philosophy). Other Korean-speaking commenters here have said the same thing.
As a Korean, the part where he spoke Korean interested me, so I played that part again and again but could only understand a few words. I even looked up what he recited (probably the introduction of North Korea's Ideaology Textbook?) Only then did I figure out his sentences. If you're a native English speaker, can you tell me what his mom says at the end of the video? Jenkins : Mama...(weeps) Yeah baby.... how did (unintelligeable) ........? Jenkins : it's hard. very difficult, it's hard.
I am so curious to know what was said here.. Thanks.
@@박경민-o3s I think she says “I didn’t think you would ever get here.”
@@smakkdat thank you, for taking the time to dictate her words, which I found almost impossible to make out.. even though I am working as a translator in Korea
@@박경민-o3s yes, that's what she says "i didn't think you'd ever get here" but don't worry for not understanding, we all have moments when we speak so incomprehensible that people ask "what ? "
or sometimes you may be the one asking "what?" lol, haven't you got that in korean with your native koreans ? especially when drunk, lol.
It's not so hard to understand why he defected. I had the grave misfortune of being in the u.s. army in the 1960's. It was like a prison term. Jenkins looks like a typical NCO ( No Chance Outside ) from that miserable era. The problem was the army was where the draft sent most of the draftees. They were usually from the poor and under educated segments of society. And they had to be 'handled' and not lead by competent leadership which was almost non-existent because some of these leaders had to be drawn from the bottom of the barrel that was called the army. Back then it was 'keep them boots shined' and 'get that thar hare cut'.
There was no motivation to conform since you still had to put up with threats, degradation from the NCO's and the officer corps. They didn't lead or motivate, they pushed and intimidated. the army was a great place for low IQ losers who would at best have menial or semi-skilled jobs on the outside. We called these career individuals "lifers" What this isn't showing about 'sar'ent' Jenkins is that he was one of the lifers who couldn't keep his mouth shut and was likely an alcoholic as the majority of them were. I can understand that very well. If I had to become an army lifer I'd get drunk a lot too or maybe use drugs. It isn't a place for anyone with any ambition of brains.
Wym by keep his mouth shut gossip???
So basically, it was Full Metal Jacket
@WmGood you must be pretty damn miserable to type all that negative sh*t up about some old timer who was obviously happier than you for the remainder of his life with his family and for someone who probably won't even see this comment. Loser
@@thefatcoolguyYou got him so good that he deleted his account. Ggs
4:33 thousands of hours of having to memorise that must have been awful
"Didn't know what a Big Mac was.... Never heard of 60 minutes..." So in other words not eating trash and watching poison
He had it even worse he was literal lying eating trash
McDonald's food might be trash but North Koreans are more than happy to eat it since they constantly have little to nothing to eat.
I have deep admiration for him, and I think he would have been a great diplomat
Hav you lost your mind? He was a traitor!
@@brucemcdonald6677 You're so goddamn idiotic.
I read the entire story of this man just the other day after watching this, he left nothing off the table and in his time in North Korea he truly experienced terrible things.
You can call him a traitor but i think even if he was he made peace with the military, united states and his captors once he left. And by his own account he was well known for nothing being any sort of communist sympathizer.
I think what i can fill you in on after reading his book is this, even up to the very end he was incredibly stressed--by his wife being away from him in japan, by the north koreans having a hold on his daughters(who they were trying to train as spies against his wishes before the Japanese stepped in back in 2002 up until they left in 2004), and the gun to his head that the north koreans had on him in terms of holding his life in their hands.
He served his time as sentenced to him by the US army, he repaid his debt to american society, and i genuinely think his story has done serious good because at the time and even now it's brought major attention to the disgusting abductions the North Koreans took up against many foreign nationals(though mostly approached only by the Japanese government).
If he's a traitor then you're a goddamn a##hole for not trying to see the good his legacy has done and that for all the grief of his life, that he could give back somehow. Truly an amazing man.
@@ohgodwhy9853Preach!
North Koreans are so cold to kidnap a girl and never let her go (initially).
Surely he is a survivor especially now that he is old and can’t bad mouth the nation he deserted and risk dying in prison.
The pain on this man’s face is palpable. I pray for his peace of mind.
He was not all that bright. However I think nobody deserves to spend even one day in the DPRK.
He wasn't in the brig....he was in the stockade.....a brig is on a ship (or a Navy Base).
He says in his book that he was held in the brig at the USA's Yokosuka Naval Base in Japan.
He made a horrible mistake and paid for it dearly. And that should be enough. There should be no more said or blame.
Apparently he was able to get by with NJP.. retired from the army as an E7
That is about the craziest story I've ever heard
No matter what wrongs you have done in your life , weather it is out of stupidity or necessity a parent ALWAYS forgives their child.
I had long hair earrings and Greek tattoos all over me and when I saw my mother after all these dark years , all my stress all my darkness were washed away in an instant. My mother is elderly and I am 57, I have two kids and a girlfriend who finally appreciates me for me BUT to my mother I will ALWAYS be her baby boy
God bless this man’s mother and for FINALLY be reuniting with her baby boy
A mother always forgives her child? BULLSHIT! I speak from personal experience!
Charles Jenkins was Lucky he had very strong and beautiful women in his life... his mother and and his Japanese wife Hitomi
So you volunteered to go back there for a second time. But defected because you wanted to go home?
Good he righted a wrong. But don’t think he’s telling the full truth.
Did Jenkins ever officially became a Japanese citizen before his death?
Yes
@@nativeamericancowboy5028 No he actually didn't. He lived on a special permanent residence visa until the end of his life.
@@oliverjia1014 oh well 🤷🏾♂️.
He was a traider anyway.
@@oliverjia1014 I heard in another video that he had.
Leo Africanus That video is wrong and probably from misreported information. I met Jenkins four months before he passed away and asked him about it. He said that because he didn’t speak Japanese, he couldn’t become a citizen.
Strange accent. Glad he got to see his Mum.
@Kyril J Yeah, it said in the video. That is a strange accent indeed.
Stupid is as stupid does.
Glad he realized his mistake. So I’m guessing they learned North Korean.