“My father was a worker, my mother was a housewife.

This included a stint as a star in North Korea's film industry. The soldier, James Joseph Dresnok, died in November at 74, according to his sons, Ted Dresnok and James Dresnok Jr.

He was the subject of a British documentary, Crossing the Line, in 2006 and expressed satisfaction with his life in Pyongyang, whose citizens enjoy better standards of living than those elsewhere in the isolated country.

Am I gonna live or die? 'Comrade Joe' starred in propaganda movies for rogue nuclear state after crossing border in search of new life while stationed in Seoul following Korean War, Find your bookmarks in your Independent Premium section, under my profile.

Every home was equipped with a built-in radio that played propaganda and could not be turned off. "The department is long known to have been responsible for the small and motley collection of foreign North Korean citizens, and the message conveyed by the sons of Mr Dresnok is likely to have been an important one for them," said Mr Madden. Dresnok and other Army defectors - including Private Larry Abshier, Sergeant Robert Jenkins and Specialist Jerry Parrish - were seen as propaganda victories for North Korea. After crossing over to the North in 1962 he went to lead an extraordinary life in Pyongyang. Start your Independent Premium subscription today.

He was briefly raised by relatives and spent time in foster care. “Our father was in the arms of the republic and received only the love and care of the party until his passing at age 74,” said Ted Dresnok, the elder of the two.

Mr Jenkins eventually made his way back to the US.

Mr Dresnok was one of four US soldiers who defected to North Korea in the 1960s, and spent more than 50 years living in the secretive Communist country. Our journalists will try to respond by joining the threads when they can to create a true meeting of independent Premium.

Ted goes by the Korean name Hong Sun Chol. The government will take care of me until my dying breath.”.

Launches, possibly in response to US-South Korea joint military exercises, appear to end in failure and did not pose a threat to Guam, says US.

And his disembodied voice was broadcast across the demilitarised zone to entice US troops with promises of better food rations and beautiful women. In May 2016 they were seen praising North Korea in another video. North Korean analyst Michael Madden told the BBC such videos were a relic from a bygone generation of North Korean propaganda play.

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His voice was used in messages played across the border at his former brothers-in-arms, telling US soldiers about his new life and encouraging them to cross the border.

On a trip home from deployment, he discovered that his wife had run away with another man. He also told CBS that he would not leave even if “you put a billion damn dollars of gold on the table”. “I was fed up with my childhood, my marriage, my military life, everything.

Uriminzokkiri is not considered state media, but is thought to be run by North Korean intelligence, and is meant to have a pan-Korean outlook with an external focus, according to Mr Madden.

Five decades after a 21-year-old soldier from Richmond, Virginia, named James Joseph Dresnok sprinted through the demilitarised zone and began his new life as a propaganda tool for North Korea, his Pyongyang-born sons have announced his death.

He was quoted as saying, "The good thing was that she did not get pregnant by me because I had promised that I would never aba… Yes, I was afraid.

In December 1959, Dresnok married Kathleen Ringwood, a 19-year-old from New York City. “Comrade Joe” lived a simple life in North Korea, drinking, fishing and smoking three packs of cigarettes a day. Ted, who is the older son, said his father "received only the love and care of the party until his passing". “There's only one place to go.

“I feel at home.

It was the brothers’ second appearance on the programme, after they praised the country in an interview in May 2016. Their comments were similar to those of North Koreans, who normally only express officially approved sentiments when speaking for a foreign audience. All rights reserved. Researchers find SARS-Cov-2 survives for longer than thought - but only under certain conditions. But in the capital, blackouts were frequent, as were moments when there was no running water. “I don't consider myself a traitor,” he said.

James Dresnok, the last known US soldier living in North Korea, died of a stroke aged 74 late last year, his sons have confirmed.

It was the second time the two sons had appeared on the channel.

Four years after defecting, he and other former US soldiers went to the Soviet Embassy, trying to find a way back to the United States, the Guardian reported.

His parents were in constant conflict and, later, estranged. One night in South Korea, he left base without permission to be with a woman. He also had a third son, born in 2001, after he married the daughter of a Korean woman and an African diplomat following the death of his Romanian wife. Given that Mr Dresnok died last year, questions have been raised about the timing of the interview. "I feel at home. Dresnok's health had been failing for years, and his sons said he died of a stroke in November.

What happens to your body in extreme heat? It was published just before the US and South Korea embarked on military exercises which routinely anger the North, and comes after weeks of provocative rhetoric between the US and Pyongyang. These are external links and will open in a new window.

US soldier who defected to North Korea in 1962 dies aged 74, North Korea warns military drills add 'fuel on the fire', North Korea says US causing 'uncontrollable phase of a nuclear war', North Korea warns of 'catastrophe' over US-South Korea military drill, US seeks to pressure North Korea to resume diplomatic talks, 'There will not be a war', pledges South Korean President, US spots North Korea 'preparing for possible missile launch', You may not agree with our views, or other users’, but please respond to them respectfully, Swearing, personal abuse, racism, sexism, homophobia and other discriminatory or inciteful language is not acceptable, Do not impersonate other users or reveal private information about third parties, We reserve the right to delete inappropriate posts and ban offending users without notification. As his health failed, Dresnok's Korean-speaking sons spoke on their father's behalf. Two North Korean shipments to Syria intercepted in six months, UN told, US-North Korea dialogue is possible in 'near future', Rex Tillerson says, North Korea-US tensions: seven potential scenarios, Japan says no direct threat following North Korea’s short-range missile launch, Malcolm Turnbull condemns North Korean missile test and urges 'harshest sanctions', How Trump v Kim can wreck the world economy without a shot being fired, North Korea attack on Guam could 'quickly escalate into war' – James Mattis, Chinese president speaks with Trump and urges calm over North Korea, recent tensions between Pyongyang and Washington. “I want to advise the US to drop its hostile policy against North Korea.

But he said he considered himself a citizen of Pyongyang.

"One thing that our father asked us to do was to become faithful workers that render devoted service to the dear leader Kim Jong-Un and to raise our children so they will follow and brighten that path," he said.

Resigned to his new life in North Korea, he learned to speak Korean and taught English, according to The Washington Post's Anna Fifield. Please be respectful when making a comment and adhere to our Community Guidelines.

Everything - I was finished.".

In 2008, in an interview with the Guardian, he discussed how he viewed his decision to turn his back on the United States.

Available for everyone, funded by readers, Security council reportedly investigating suspected chemical and conventional arms cooperation between two countries, The secretary of state says ‘some dialogue’ is possible if North Korea shows restraint with nuclear weapons, after the US announced new sanctions.

They had two children, Ted and James. The two men have said in the videos that they serve in North Korea's military, and are married with children. “We have our dear supreme commander Kim Jong-un. James Dresnok Sr later fathered a third son with his third wife - the daughter of a Korean woman and an African diplomat. They died when he was a child. I really feel at home. I love my town.”, People reading a newspaper at the metro station, Thoughts of the leaders on the tram. The only US soldier known to still be living in North Korea after defecting more than five decades ago died last year, pledging his loyalty to the “great leader Kim Jong-un”, his sons have said.

The former US soldier, who defected to North Korea in 1962, died last year, his sons said.

Are you sure you want to mark this comment as inappropriate? But he did, eventually starting a new life on the other side, and marrying a Romanian woman, with whom he had Ted and James Jr. His younger brother goes by the name Hong Chol.

How could this play out?

The sons, who were born in the North and are now in their 30s, were interviewed there on Aug. 15 by Roh Kil-nam, a journalist based in the United States, according to Mr. Roh, who uploaded the video to his website on Friday. The late James Dresnok, known as Joe, crossed a minefield at 21 to reach North Korea, after his wife divorced him and he was reportedly about to be court martialled. Create a commenting name to join the debate, There are no Independent Premium comments yet - be the first to add your thoughts, There are no comments yet - be the first to add your thoughts. I wouldn't trade it for nothing.".

On August 15th, at noon in broad daylight, when everybody was eating lunch, I hit the road. Due to the sheer scale of this comment community, we are not able to give each post the same level of attention, but we have preserved this area in the interests of open debate.

His adopted country provided him with a monthly stipend and a small apartment.

That's when Dresnok said he vowed to try to fit in. An intimidating poster in a primary school in North Korea. Both men were born in North Korea and spoke Korean with a heavy northern accent. Dresnok was among a handful of American servicemen to desert after the Korean war and was loyal to Kim Jong-un, Mon 21 Aug 2017 10.31 BST

Those words were spoken amid escalating tensions between the United States and North Korea that have worsened under President Donald Trump, who has promised that the isolationist country would be “met with fire and fury” if it doesn't stop threatening the United States. Mr Dresnok's children said he was loyal to North Korea until the end, in a video interview published last week by local news outlet Uriminzokkiri. James Dresnok in 2006. A poster on the window next to one of the venues we visited in Pyongyang, Kids playing football next to the Arch of Triumph. The most insightful comments on all subjects will be published daily in dedicated articles.

He said it was likely that many of those who acted as Mr Dresnok's minders are no longer part of the leadership. The Soviets handed them back to the North Koreans. But their words, too, were heavily scripted and overwhelmingly supportive of North Korea and its policies. He was interrogated in the North Korean capital but was ultimately embraced, along with other defectors. And when I stepped into the minefield and I seen it with my own eyes, I started sweating.

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