I've just seen a sattelite news bulletin about an ex US army(?) serviceman named Charles Jenkins who has just landed in Indonesia (luckily for CJ there's no extradition treaty), after spending nearly half a century living (If you could call it that...) in that land of endless bounty and friendship NORTH KOREA .

It seems that CJ, who is married to Japanesse wife (who wants their kids to leave NK and go and live with her in Japan - obviously passing up the oppourtunity of life time for them to grow up in the "first class" eduacational environment that is Pyongyang), now has grown a little older and maybe wiser and wants to come back into the global community....

My question is... "Is Charles Jenkins a Cold War victim? Or a deserter - traitor . And what implications does this hold for other (alleged) deserters as may be the case with the Marine found in the Lebanon?"

That's very astute Campbell, I had forgotten about him. It appears to me that he clearly overcame his wog, and is now out of the hospital of Communits totalitarian ideas. Now, maybe we should allow him to pleasantly waste away in total isolation, which was probably his condition in the first place.

As for our chap in Lebenan, the jury appears to still be out on him. I am going to keep my eyes and ears pealed on this one.

Thanks for the head's up, mate.

Hi JohnL,

Thanx for the response.

The whole question of whether Jenkins should be processed by the civillian authorities or tried by the military is rather interesting (If only because it brings back into the light the ferocious conflict and combat of the Korean War, a war that has sadly come to be dubbed as "The Forgotten War"). Because it (In an admittedly 'longbow' type fashion) has paralells to the situation at Guantanamo Bay (Camp Xray). Jenkin's in his time NK must have aided a defined enemy of the US (and the rest of the free world) and so, similar to the case of John Walker "Rat Boy" Lind, should, logically, face military courts martial (tribunal). Now, I accept that Lind was finally convicted (I'm not sure to be honest) in a civillian court (although intially he was handled by the military), and yes Korea is a different conflict to that of Afghanistan. But I would argue that for Jenkin's to 'get away' with what is a serious and grave crime (desertion - enlistment to an enemy state/army) would be a terrible insult to the thousands who died in an all out "absolute" war. In front of the Australian War Memorial - etched in stone - there reads my nations declaration to the ANZAC - "LEST WE FORGET".

Jenkins may wish to forget his crime, but I am certain many of the veterans of the Korean War (not to mention the spirits of those who never returned) feel that it is time for him to pay the price.

I do not know much about this, but I am surprised the North Koreans let him leave.

Tukyleith,


It seems to have been a gesture of "good will" from Pyongyang, perhaps in in part because of recent allegations (and evidence surfacing from NK prison camp commandant defectors) of chemical warfare experiments involving political prisoners. Like much of the focus on NK its all conjecture without any quantifiable proof but still with a sad history such as theirs its not impossible.

As he's already spent 50 years in prison, (North Korea) I don't think there's much point in trying to punish him further.

was he a prisoner or a defector?
It surely would seem strange if a defector would end up married to a prisoner (hostage). The Kim dynasty have kidnapped many people of the years, including a SK movie star and her director husband, all because Kim Jr likes cinema and was bored with what the NK population had to offer.

Krazy Kim Jr would have to be a text book example at the "Hollywood Producer" University...

1a.

Q.
In the event of the film's director and/or talent getting stroppy and starting to say things like "I don't want to" or "Pay me more money" do you -

A. Cave in to their demands
B. Call your lawyer
C. Call your homeboys and have them go around to their house, stick a gun in their face, abduct them, stash them in a log cabin in Michigan, AND THEN start negotiations...

He was allowed to leave because of his connections towards Japan, because he has a Japanese wife.

All what is happening in North Korea, whatever is decided, it is always a political decision only.

Japan wants to have cleared all open cases of Japanese living in North Korea.

There is a strong pressure of the Japanese people - some of them Korean related because of WWII - on the Japanese Government to do so.
We do not really know, what the Japanese Government offered to the reclusive North Korea in return of such political favours....

China is also somewhat a go-between, holding still North Korea in power, but holding also strong diplomatic relationship to South Korea and of course to Japan.

Do not think, that North Korea is a bad place for living in for political prisoners....nor for other people, if they have some value for this government. They take good care about foreign embassy staff and other political visitors.

French wine is available in North Korea, if you pay by American Express credit card.

Dude spent since 1967 in North Korea I think...Good call, Bad call, Deserter or victim, seem mute...to me... No gain for him no gain for anyone here
Have a good life guy I say..

That is all!