Comments on: Kokuhaku: Pictures

By: Occidentalism » Abe Support Falling — 6-Way Talks

Occidentalism » Abe Support Falling — 6-Way Talks — Sun, 17 Dec 2006 16:34:00 +0000

[...] Abe’s biggest selling point was solving the kidnapping problems with North Korea; he was very much involved in the original ground breaking exchange that got our friend Jenkins out of the Slave’s Worker’s Paradise, expectations were high. However with North Korea demanding Japan not even participate in the 6-party talks, it’s very difficult for Japan to push the issue without worrying about actually being excluded from the discussion, if not officially excluded from the talks all together. [...]

By: Darin

Darin — Tue, 11 Jul 2006 14:14:31 +0000

He picked up Korean to a certain extent, after all it is the language of the gods so he was forced too, but his Japanese isn’t doing well at all. I read somewhere that the two daughters are now fluent in Japanese (they are going to school after all) but he still has to speak with his family in Korean, and it kills him.

Hitomi speaks very good Korean. So good that when she first came back to Japan, she couldn’t really speak Japanese anymore. Sure she was speaking Japanese to the cameras, but it was Korean Japanese, and she was struggling. Kind of like my English

By: MrChips

MrChips — Tue, 11 Jul 2006 14:10:02 +0000

Jenkins story is fascinating. While I would definately call his “choice of moves” to North Korea stupid I don’t think I could ever categorize him as a traitor. Whatever lunacy he operated under back in ‘65 has nothing to do with the way he lived his life after that, having been enlightened as to what he had actually walked into. It just doesn’t climb to the standard set by the Rosenbergs, John Walker, or Samuel Dickstein, among others. I’m rather impressed with his outlook on life now, from what I’ve seen, and hope he can now have some peace with his wife and kids.

Some may say he provided aid and comfort to the enemy but I would say attracting a disillusioned, ill-educated bumpkin from the hills of western north carolina only to have him realize his error later on would speak volumes of what North Korea is really like and represent a PR point against the goofy leader.

I’m curious as to his language development as well. While he only had a 7th grade education, does anyone know how well he did at picking up Korean or Japanese? I’d be really interested to get someone elses opinion on that. Thanks.

By: Kurt

Kurt — Sun, 09 Jul 2006 13:55:17 +0000

his hair seems to have grown out rather wildly in that last picture, making me think it was taken later than Autumn 1980 (compare with the previous August 8, 1980 photos). This dogs in the background thing is disturbing as well — in fact, in the last picture you can see the legs of another dog immediately behind the couple, as if to say “we struggled to find a spot without barbed wire, but we could never escape out ‘advisors’”.

By: Japan Probe

Japan Probe — Sun, 09 Jul 2006 02:25:32 +0000

[...] Over at Occidentalism, Darin has posted an update featuring pictures and translations from Charles Robert Jenkins‘ Japanese autobiography. It is a must-see for all Jenkins fans and people interested in North Korea. Check it out! Help Japanprobe Grow by sharing this post:These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages. [...]

By: ponta

ponta — Sat, 08 Jul 2006 14:53:00 +0000

The subject of divorce came up between Jenkins and his wife, who is 19 years younger, after the government offered to exchange the couple’s Korean marriage license for a Japanese version.

“I told her: if you want to kick me out: do it now,” says Jenkins tearfully. “She said if we divorce, what about Brinda and Mika? That would be hard on them. So she told me she wouldn’t divorce me. I told her if you want to get married again in Japan I’ll leave. But I won’t leave Japan; I’ll stay for my daughters. She wouldn’t do it. She’ll never divorce me.”

David McNeill talks with Charles Jenkins
I hope his family will lead a happy life.