A former US Army Sergeant, Jenkins defected to North Korea in 1965. He left in 2004 after 39 years and settled in Japan with his wife - who had left North Korea two years earlier - for the last 13 years of his life. Jenkins was the only US Army defector to leave North Korea.
Jenkins reported to Camp Zama, a US Army post in Japan, in September 2004 and in November that year he served 24 days confinement for desertion and aiding the enemy, was demoted to Private, forfeited all pay and benefits and received a dishonorable discharge. He returned to the US briefly in June 2005 with his family to see his then 91 year old mother. Jenkins later found work as a shop greeter in Japan.
